asked the Minister for Health (a) the number of public dental officer posts required by the Dublin Health Authority, (b) the number sanctioned by him, (c) the number vacant or filled temporarily, (d) the steps he proposes to take to fill the vacant posts and (e) the number of school children awaiting dental treatment in Dublin Health Authority area, and the average waiting time between examination and treatment.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Public Dental Officers.
151.
Dublin Health Authority, who already have authority to employ 21 wholetime dentists, have sought approval to the creation of five additional dental posts. This proposal is being considered in my Department and a decision will issue shortly to the Authority.
All 21 approved posts are filled at present, 14 by permanent officers and seven by dentists employed in a temporary capacity.
The number of school children awaiting dental examination and treatment in the Dublin Health Authority area is 4,400. Almost all these have been referred to dental clinics from school medical inspections. I am informed that the waiting period from the initial examination in school to the provision of any necessary dental treatment varies greatly as between the different dental clinics throughout the health authority area but, on average, is in the region of three to six months. The proposed additional dental staff, when recruited, should help to reduce the waiting period.
152.
asked the Minister for Health (a) the number of approved chief, senior and public dental officer posts, (b) the number (i) filled permanently (ii) filled temporarily and (iii) vacant, and (c) the number of months each of the vacant posts has been unfilled.
The number of wholetime dental posts currently approved is—two chief dental surgeon posts, 11 senior dental surgeon posts and 98 dental surgeon posts, four of which are temporary.
There are 73 permanent dental surgeons employed at present, including two chief dental surgeons, seven senior dental surgeons and 64 permanent dental surgeons. There are also 16 temporary dentists employed in wholetime posts. Twenty-two posts are vacant, that is, 4 senior posts and 18 dental surgeon posts.
Eight of the 22 vacant posts have been vacant for less than six months, three have been vacant for between nine and 12 months, seven have been vacant for up to 24 months and four have been vacant for between 24 and 45 months.
153.
asked the Minister for Health what steps he proposes to take to fill the many vacancies for wholetime staff in the public dental service and to recruit additional staff to meet the increased demands of a community becoming more conscious of dental health.
The filling of vacant dental posts is a matter, in the first instance, for the health authorities concerned and for the Local Appointments Commission.
There are various reasons why dentists do not apply for these posts in the numbers we would wish. Apart from any question of remuneration which may arise, dentists tend to emigrate on graduation either to acquire experience or because of the high income immediately available in England. There is also the point that many of them do not wish to work in the smaller Irish towns. The recruitment difficulties are at present under discussion between officers of my Department and of health authorities.
154.
asked the Minister for Health if he will state (a) the number of public dental officer posts in the counties of Louth and Cavan, (b) the number of those posts which are vacant and how long they have been vacant, and (c) the steps he proposes to take to bring the establishment of public dental officers in these counties up to full strength.
There are three approved dental surgeon posts in each of the Counties Louth and Cavan. Two of the County Louth posts are vacant, one since January, 1963, and the other since July, 1966. One of the posts in County Cavan is vacant since September, 1966. The filling of the vacant posts is, in the first instance, a matter for the health authorities concerned.
I have already dealt with the last part of the question in my reply to a previous question today.
Would the Minister not agree it is a very unsatisfactory state of affairs that dental posts should be left unfilled? Would he impress on the people responsible the necessity to have the posts filled rather than to try to save a few shillings by leaving them vacant?
I do not think it is a matter of saving a few shillings. We are having consultations this week on this whole matter of speeding up the process.
Would the Minister say if there is any other explanation except an effort to save money when a post is left vacant from 1963 to the end of 1966?
Unfortunately, it is not merely a question of money. Dentists do not appear to be anxious to go to some of the smaller areas.
Louth is not a small area.