asked the Minister for Social Welfare the total number of people awaiting dental treatment under the social welfare scheme and the measures he proposes for the immediate improvement of these services.

All claims for dental benefit are submitted through the insured person's dentist and the patient does not have to make any direct application to my Department. The dentist is not required to obtain prior approval in cases of routine treatments such as scalings, fillings and extractions and may complete any such treatment without reference to the Department. In such cases the Department pay the full cost of the treatment. Such claims represent approximately 75 per cent of the total.

In other treatments such as dentures, crowns, and so on, where the insured person pays a portion of the cost, prior approval is necessary so that the Department may inform the insured person of the amount he will have to pay the dentist. At any time there are about 8,000 cases on hands awaiting approval. Except where there is difficulty in establishing title there is no delay in dealing with these cases.

Did the Minister say 8,000?

Yes. The time for clearance is currently about ten days and it is hoped to have that time reduced further.

Is 8,000 a standard figure over a couple of years? Is the situation worsening?

I do not have that information available in the brief but if the Deputy puts down a question I will get it for him.

Does the figure of 8,000 include people awaiting orthodontic work? Does it also include people awaiting dental treatment under the health or social welfare services?

The question on the Order Paper refers specifically to the total number of people awaiting dental treatment under the social welfare scheme.

Does the figure of 8,000 include persons awaiting treatment under the health services? Would it not be true to say that the figure awaiting dental treatment under the health and social welfare services is nearer 50,000?

A similar question dealing with the health services was discussed at length yesterday. Perhaps the Deputy would like to check the details given in that question, although detailed figures were not given.

Without making a political football out of this and in the light of the knowledge I have—and every other Deputy has too—of the enormous delays for treatment being given to schoolchildren, has he any plans to improve the dental services which are available under the health scheme, the social welfare scheme or the school scheme? It does not matter to a person with a bad tooth which scheme he comes under.

We had a reasonably lengthy discussion on this subject under the health service yesterday. Measures are being taken and there are plans to appoint six extra orthodontists. This question refers specifically to the social welfare scheme.