asked the Minister for Health the orthodontic services available to the South Eastern Health Board; and if he has satisfied himself with the level of such service in view of the number of patients waiting for treatment.

At present the health board provides orthodontic treatment for some patients through its own dental staff while some other cases are referred to extern orthodontists in private practice for treatment on a fee basis. The level of the service is not very satisfactory at present but it should be greatly improved with the filling of the approved post of full-time consultant orthodontist to the health board concerned for which it is expected that applications will shortly be invited.

The Minister did not quite answer the question I put to him. Surely he must be aware of the grave concern, particularly on the part of the parents whose children, particularly school children, need orthodontic treatment and that there are a few years only in which this treatment can be effectively given, that is between the ages of 12 and 15? I have had cases of parents approaching me because their children had been waiting for three to four years for treatment. Because of the high cost involved for this very specialised treatment — between £700 and £800 — these people cannot afford to have it undertaken by private practitioners.

I would agree that as of February 1983 the situation in south Tipperary was singularly bad, there being 400 on the waiting list and the average waiting time being between two and four years. Therefore, the appointment of a consultant orthodontist should alter the situation radically, because apart from the service that he will provide directly, dental officers of the health board will be in a position to provide certain orthodontic treatment under his direction. This should result in a considerable improvement in the undesirable and unfortunate situation being experienced in south Tipperary. In Waterford the waiting list has been reduced to 25 and the waiting period is between eight and 12 months, so by comparison the situation in the Deputy's constituency is singularly bad.

In view of the critical situation in south Tipperary, would the Minister be prepared to authorise the South Eastern Health Board to allow patients attend private practitioners to have this treatment carried out in the interest of reducing the very large backlog of patients and especially in consideration of the fact that this treatment should be undertaken immediately and not delayed for four years?

I do not think I could give authority for referral on a private basis. My main aim is to have the consultant appointed. It is expected that applications for the post will be invited shortly. The cost implications of private referral would be phenomenal.

I am not being unduly critical of the Minister because this is a situation that obtained during his predecessor's time and indeed further back, but in the case of urgent need for treatment, would the Minister be prepared to authorise the health board to have the patients concerned treated by private practitioners?

I will inquire into that. It is possible to have some emergency cases and so on referred to orthodontists in private practice for treatment on an exclusive fee basis. I will contact the Deputy again on the matter because 400 seems to be a very considerable number. If there are certain cases within that 400 in respect of which referral for private treatment might meet the need, I will ask the health board to communicate with the Deputy on the matter.

In cases in which there is a shortage of orthodontists within the public health service, would the Minister consider employing private orthodontists on a sessional basis?

I would be more preoccupied with the provision of a full-time consultant orthodontist structure within the dental officer structure. The cost implications of exclusive referral to private practice is extraordinary. In addition, the monitoring arrangements we must undertake in sanctioning each treatment are extraordinary, too. However, there is provision for reference on sanction in exceptional cases. That is about as far as we can go at the moment.

A final supplementary——

We must move on to the next question. Question Time is proceeding very slowly.

But the Minister did not answer my question.

The Chair is not in charge of Ministers' answers, but he is in charge of the number of supplementaries that may be asked.

Would the Minister consider employing orthodontists on a sessional basis rather than referring patients to private practice? Obviously, we would not like a situation such as exists in south Tipperary to arise anywhere else in the country. As Deputy Griffin pointed out, it is necessary that the children concerned receive the treatment urgently and surely one way of ensuring that would be to employ orthodontists on a sessional basis.

I will review the situation. Undoubtedly, south Tipperary is the worst in this regard. In Carlow-Kilkenny the waiting list is 123 while in Wexford it is 132 and, as I have said, 25 in Waterford, so I will ask for a review of the situation in relation to south Tipperary.