Vol. 509 No. 4
226 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Health and Children the reason a person (details supplied) in County Cork has been refused dentures in spite of the fact that he is a medical card holder; and the reason he is being refused on the grounds that he is 42 years of age and should be able to provide them himself. [20423/99]
As the provision of dental treatment for eligible persons in County Cork is the statutory responsibility of the Southern Health Board I have asked the chief executive officer of the Southern Health Board to investigate the position in relation to this case and to reply to the Deputy directly as a matter of urgency.
Routine dental treatment is not yet available under the dental treatment services scheme to medical card holders in the 35-64 age group. I intend to extend routine dental treatment to this age group when the present difficulties with the Irish Dental Association regarding the operation of the scheme have been resolved.
