andDr. O'Connell asked the Minister for Health the total number of dentists full-time in the dental health services who are available for the school dental service; the total number of children eligible for school dental examination; the total number eligible for treatment; the total number of examinations completed; and the number of treatments completed.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - School Dental Service.
6.
Dr. Browne, Mr. M. O'Leary
The information requested by the Deputies is not yet available for the year 1969. The information for 1968 is given in the form of a tabular statement which, with your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to have circulated with the Official Report:—
Following is the statement:
|
(a) Total number of full-time dental officers employed by health authorities at 31st December, 1968 |
112 |
|
(b) Total number of school children, i.e. children attending national schools, eligible for school dental examination in 1968. |
490,000 |
|
(c) Total number of children at (b) dentally examined and eligible for treatment. |
193,000 |
|
(d) Total number of dental treatments provided for children at (c) in 1968 |
465,000 |
Note: Many health authorities also have arrangements with private dentists to provide dental treatment for school children, on a part-time basis. Treatments provided by them are included at (d) above.
Can the Minister say whether there is to be any improvement in the shortage of dentists being experienced by local authorities or if the Department have any way of remedying this?
I have been quite frank about this. The dental service is not perfect. There are priorities and the number of permanent dental surgeons is slowly increasing; also, the number of private dentists giving sessions to local authorities is slowly increasing. That is all I can say at the moment.
Would the Minister agree that £30 a week for a dental surgeon starting in our public health service is a fair salary for a person who had gone through a course at great expense for six or seven years? Does he think this a fair salary and does he think this contributes to the shortage of dentists in the public health service? Does he think that £30 a week is satisfactory?
Of course, the answer to that is that we revise at constant intervals the various salary scales offered to people in the medical service, but obviously there has to be some relativity. All I can say is that we are doing our best to see that this service expands. It is not among the very great priorities in the health services. I do not think it is as high as some others. Then, of course, the fluoridation is beginning to have an effect as we know from research already done. I think the full particulars have not been published. They will be available when they have been finally confirmed but fluoridation is beginning to have an effect.
I do not know about fluoridation, but would the Minister agree that certainly a figure of £30 a week for any grade of dentist is ludicrous? We cannot expect to get enough dentists when that kind of "peanuts" is being offered to these people.
Question No. 7.
Will the Minister review the salary scale?
I have made it clear that we always look at these questions in relation to salaries. I have made the position very clear to the House and I have been very frank about it.
Will the Minister give an indication to the local authorities that these are ridiculous salaries?
I could not do it in that way.
If the Minister cannot do it that way he cannot do anything. He is the Minister of non-action.
That is not so.
They go in pairs.
(Interruptions.)
I want to be perfectly frank about it. In actual fact, there are absolute priorities in the development of the health services which one puts down: priorities one, two, three and four. I have been frank about it to the House.
(Interruptions.)
It applies not only to me but to every Minister for Health in the living world.
Deputies
Hear, hear.
(Interruptions.)
Order.
There is a shortage of dentists and one way to remedy it is to pay them a satisfactory salary.
Would the Minister say what they were paid when there was a Labour Deputy as Minister for Health?
We never had a Labour Deputy as Minister for Health. The Deputy should check on his facts.
Order.