Vol. 486 No. 1
559 Mr. Kenny asked the Minister for Health and Children the amount of finance allocated for orthodontic treatment in the Western Health Board area; the number of orthodontic consultants employed to carry out this work; if will improve the situation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1412/98]
560 Mr. Kenny asked the Minister for Health and Children the number of applicants for orthodontic treatment who have been listed under the Department regulations as being currently eligible from counties Mayo, Galway and Roscommon; if he has satisfied himself that a two year waiting period for treatment is a satisfactory situation; the extra staff and resources he will allocate in order that this backlog and waiting period may be cleared; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1413/98]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 559 and 560 together.
The provision of orthodontic services to eligible persons in counties Mayo, Galway and Roscommon is the statutory responsibility of the Western Health Board. I understand from the board that the gross expenditure allocation for orthodontic services in the board's 1998 revenue budget is £607,000. The board currently employs one consultant orthodontist with four senior dental staff and supporting dental surgery assistants working under the overall direction and supervision of the consultant to provide the board's orthodontic service. In the board's opinion this is a satisfactory staffing level for the level of service provision required. A number of vacancies due to retirements and illnesses took place in 1996 and 1997 which impacted severely on the orthodontic service. These have now been resolved and the board is satisfied that waiting times and waiting lists will show considerable improvement in a short time.
