asked the Minister for Health whether he is aware that the facilities for providing proper dental treatment for school-children are quite inadequate; and, if so, whether he will take steps to provide improved facilities.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Dental Treatment for School-children.
I am aware that the facilities for providing dental treatment for school-children are inadequate in some areas throughout the country. The question of providing improved facilities is receiving my close attention.
Has the Minister considered the desirability, in order to overcome this difficulty, of providing mobile units with the necessary equipment, the fact that it is desirable that children should have a first-class service and that every effort should be made to spare them the pain associated with the primitive conditions under which teeth are extracted at present?
I agree with the Deputy's remarks as to the desirability of having a first-class dental service for these children. The question of mobile treatment units will, of course, be considered in relation to the particular areas to be served. They might be useful in one area and quite useless in another.