asked the Minister for Health if a directive issued by his Department through the health boards to curtail transport applies to children who have to travel long distances from Roscommon to Galway for orthodontic and other treatment; and, if so, if he is aware of the great hardship this will entail for parents due to the heavy transport cost.

No such directive has issued from my Department. The provision of transport for particular patients or categories of patient is a matter for the health board concerned.