asked the Minister for Health if he is aware of the serious cut-back in the orthodontic treatment service of children attending schools in the Clonkeen/Deansgrange and Blackrock areas, County Dublin; and the action, if any, he intends taking to restore the service to its original level.

6.

asked the Minister for Health if he is aware of a very serious fall-off in the orthodontic treatment services to the Ballybrack national schools, County Dublin; and the action, if any, he intends taking to restore the services to their original level.

With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 5 and 6 together. The provision of orthodontic treatment for eligible children in the areas referred to is the responsibility of the Eastern Health Board. I understand from the board that, in the light of the resources available to them for dental services generally, they have decided to give priority to basic treatment services for children. Such services are generally accepted as having a higher priority than the provision of orthodontic treatment. I am advised, however, that, where active orthodontic treatment has already commenced, it will be continued. The position of other children listed for such treatment will be reviewed in September next.

Will the Parliamentary Secretary agree that rotten teeth do not take cognisance of lapses of time and that children who are coming into national schools for the first time and have bad teeth will not receive attention, according to the Government, until next September, if at all? Will the Parliamentary Secretary agree that in the case of the two schools in question the parents who brought this matter to my attention are properly concerned about the lack of orthodontic treatment for their children? Can the Parliamentary Secretary give them any hope as to when their children will be dealt with?

Orthodontic treatment does not cure or improve rotten teeth.

It prevents teeth from becoming rotten.

Can the Parliamentary Secretary tell me what orthodontic treatment is?

An orthodontist is a dentist who specialises in providing dental treatment by the correction of malformed teeth.

Will the Parliamentary Secretary agree that if teeth are malformed, with teeth sitting on top of one another they can cause decay and under those circumstances crowded teeth are a very serious defect?

Question No. 7.

Will the Parliamentary Secretary agree that the serious cut-back in orthodontic treatment in the area mentioned in the question will certainly cause hardship? There is a savage cut-back in the services. Will the Parliamentary Secretary agree with me about that?

I assured the Deputy that in the case of children who are getting orthodontic treatment it will be continued this year.

What about the children coming to school for the first time?

I have called the next question.