asked the Minister for Health why County Kildare was not allocated a dental surgeon or dental attendant in the recent job creation programme approved by him for the Eastern Health Board.

The job creation proposals recently approved for the Eastern Health Board included a number of posts of whole time dental surgeon and ancillary staff for the board's community care service. The allocation of this additional staff to particular community care areas is a matter for the Health board. However, I understand from the board that one of the new dental surgeon posts has been allocated to the Kildare county community area and that steps are being taken to fill the post and appoint a dental attendant.

Will the Parliamentary Secretary accept that this small allocation will not alleviate in any way the position regarding dental care and the neglect there is in that sphere in Kildare.

Surely the Deputy will agree that the appointment of a dental surgeon and a dental attendant will relieve the problem to some extent.