asked the Minister for Health if he will give details of the dental scheme in operation by the Wexford County Council.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Wexford Dental Scheme.
7.
The Council employs two wholetime dental surgeons and one part-time visiting dental surgeon to the County Hospital. I recently sanctioned the employment of an additional wholetime dental surgeon, on a temporary basis, to assist in clearing off the waiting list of children referred for treatment following school health examination.
In common with most other health authorities the Council is concentrating its limited resources in money, personnel and equipment on the provision of services for the group that will benefit most by dental treatment, namely, the children. In the circumstances only a very restricted service can be made available for members of the lower income group. For these a weekly session is held by the visiting dental surgeon at the County Hospital and, in addition, a weekly session is held by one of the wholetime dental officers at the County Clinic. Extractions only are done at these sessions; dentures are not supplied. The remainder of the wholetime staff's time is devoted to services for children and expectant mothers.
Treatment for children in the Wexford town area is provided at the Council's fully equipped centre in the County Clinic. Elsewhere treatment is provided mainly in school premises. As this is not a satisfactory arrangement, the Council proposes to establish dental centres in other parts of the County to enable children to be treated under more satisfactory conditions.
Am I right in assuming from the Minister's reply that there is no scheme for the provision of dentures for adults?
There is no money for the provision of dentures for adults.
There is no scheme?
There is no money —that is the point.