Vol. 496 No. 1
173 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will have an investigation made into the situation whereby a person (details supplied) in County Cork was informed by the Southern Health Board that he could not get an upper set of dentures because his Department had indicated that only full sets of dentures could be provided to medical card holders; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22113/98]
Under the dental treatment services scheme which was introduced by my Department on 1 November 1996 dental treatment will be extended to all adults with medical card eligibility on a phased basis. Full denture treatment is available under the scheme to all edentulous — no natural teeth — adults. Routine treatment, which includes the provision of partial denture treatment is currently available under the scheme to persons in the age groups 16 to 34 and 65 years and over. I will extend routine treatment under the scheme to persons in the 35 to 64 year age group according as the necessary additional resources become available.
As the provision of dental treatment to 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.
