asked the Minister for Health if she will ensure that adequate funds are made available to the Western Health Board to enable the continuation of the adult choice-of-dentist schemes introduced by her predecessor.

The annual budget for any particular health board service is a matter for determination by the individual health board subject to the containment of aggregate expenditure on its services within the approved overall non-capital allocation. Accordingly, the provision for the current year in respect of the scheme referred to by the Deputy was determined by the Western Health Board.

The question of the arrangements to be made for 1981 will be a matter for consideration later by the board having regard to its approved overall level of non-capital allocation for that year.

Does the Minister of State agree then that this service has been suspended for the time being by the Western Health Board?

This is a problem peculiar to the Western and Southern Health Boards. The Deputy should be aware that expenditure of a non-capital nature is a matter for the health boards, not for the Minister, from the block allocation they receive at the commencement of the financial year.

Is the Minister confirming then that there is a service which has been suspended? When I asked the Minister in Question No. 3 about the matter I was told no service had been suspended. I should like the House to know that a service has been suspended.

The Western Health Board suspended the issuing of authorisation for the choice-of-dentist arrangement in September 1981 but they will honour authorisation issued already and will continue to provide services for those who require emergency treatment. New applicants are being put on a waiting list and it is intended to resume the issuing of authorisation in January 1982 when funds become available again. A sum of £217,000 had been set aside by the boards for the scheme in 1981.