asked the Minister for Health the reason a third level student (details supplied) has been informed by the dental services section of the Eastern Health Board that it could take upwards of five years before she will receive dental treatment; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

The person in question applied to the Eastern Health Board for dental treatment in December 1983 and her name was placed on the board's waiting list. Due to the limited resources at their disposal the health board give priority to certain eligible persons over others. The priority groups include pre-school and national school children, expectant and nursing mothers, the aged and the handicapped. In consequence eligible persons outside the priority groups have to wait some time for treatment. The health board are unable to say when treatment can be provided for the person in question but deny that a waiting time of up to five years was quoted by them. It is the policy of the health board not to give any firm undertakings as to when treatment will be provided in view of the many unpredictable factors which could influence the issue.

Whilst I accept that there are categories of priority, what is the average waiting period for persons in this category? Are there third level applicants who are not able to avail of the public dental health scheme because of limited or inadequate resources?

It depends on the area in question. I have not the precise average waiting period.

It seems to be a separate question.

The health board are quite adamant that no mention was made of a five-year waiting period.

I am not attempting to indict any member of the staff but I can confirm that the verbal statement was made and it aroused concern. Will this person have to wait a year, two years or three years to avail of the service? Why do categories into which this person might fit have to wait for long periods?

One is talking about the terms of priority in respect of a third level student. Young children under school age and national school children are given equal priority. Expectant and nursing mothers have a priority, as have the aged and the handicapped. The waiting list is constructed on that basis. I am certain that the waiting list in that area is quite low.

Would the Minister accept that the health boards have a statutory obligation to provide a dental service for certain categories and that the health boards are not providing this service mainly because of lack of finance but also due to the inadequate numbers of dentists? Will the Minister say what plans he has to ensure that the health boards will provide the dental service which they are statutorily obliged to provide?

I would point out that in the Eastern Health Board area there are 85 dentists working and in my reply to the next question I will give further information. A very large number of people are employed.

Could I ask——

We will move on. This question is about a specific case and does not form the basis for a general discussion on the health services.

Can the Minister give any assurance that within a reasonable time this person will be able to avail of the service?

I will write direct to the Deputy about this person and what exactly transpired. I cannot deal in generalities. It is a specific complaint.

It is part of a general area.

The question is not about a general area. It is about a patient.

I will write to the Deputy and do my utmost to ensure that the information is accurate.

A final supplementary from Deputy Flaherty.

Can I clarify that this case refers to dental treatment rather than orthodontic treatment?

On the basis of the Parliamentary Question put down, this is a case of routine dental treatment.

11.

asked the Minister for Health the number of (a) dentists employed by the Eastern Health Board (i) at present and (ii) in January 1979;(b) vacancies for dentists in the Eastern Health Board area at present;(c) dentists that have left the Eastern Health Board in each of the past five years and the number recruited to replace them; (d) children eligible for dental care in each of the community care programme areas of the Eastern Health Board;(e) Eastern Health Board dentists working full time in each programme area; and (f) relief dentists employed by the Eastern Health Board.

(a) The number of dentists employed by the Eastern Health Board at present is 85. This figure is made up of 58 permanent dentists, 8 whole-time temporary dentists and 19 dentists who work for the board on a part-time or sessional basis. The total work commitment of these part-time and sessional dentists is equivalent to 9 whole-time posts so that the total dental manpower of the board at present is equal to 75 full-time posts. On the same basis the total dental manpower of the board in January 1979 was equal to 65 full-time posts. This was made up of 55 permanent dentists, five whole-time temporary dentists and 13 part-time and sessional dentists with a work commitment that would equate in total with five full-time posts.

(b) There are 11 vacancies for full-time posts of dentist in the Eastern Health Board, but eight of these posts are filled at present through the use of temporary and part-time staff. All vacant posts are with the Local Appointments Commission for filling.

(c) The numbers of whole-time dentists who left the board's employment in each of the past five years are as follows: 1979, 2; 1980, 3; 1981, 1; 1982, 2; 1983, 5.

Dentists were recruited to fill the resultant vacancies in all cases. Some of the posts are filled on a temporary basis pending recruitment of suitable replacements by the Local Appointments Commission.

(d) In regard to the numbers of eligible children in each of the health board's community care areas, I would like to point out that the dental areas within the Eastern Health Board do not coincide with the board's community care areas. There are in fact only eight dental areas in the health board as against 10 community care areas. Also, the figures available to the health board in respect of eligible children within the confines of the different dental areas relate only to children who are pupils of national schools. On this basis the areas and numbers of eligible children are as follows:

(e) The number of Eastern Health Board dentists working full-time in each of the Board's dental areas is as follows:

These figures do not of course reflect the strength of the dental service in the different areas since they do not take account of the service provided by those full-time dentists who serve in more than one area of the board or of that provided by staff working on a part-time or sessional basis.

(f) By relief dentists I take it that what the Deputy has in mind are those full-time dentists who serve in more than one area of the board and those dentists who work part-time or on a sessional basis. There are 15 full-time dentists in the board who serve in more than one of the board's dental areas and, as I indicated earlier, a total of 19 dentists work for the board on a part-time or sessional basis.

I am sure the Minister is aware that the question arose from the situation in Ballymun. Can I take it from his reply that his answer to my question on 31 January in which he stated that the embargo had affected recruitment of dentists to the service was incorrect?

The embargo in terms of total overall control of my Department's commitment for staff has had a loose application in the past few years. I am glad to say that the Minister for Finance in this year's budget confirmed that basically it is a cash control measure and within that the various health boards have reasonable flexibility. In relation to the Ballymun area, on the basis of general inquiries I have made I can assure the Deputy that the waiting list is minimal and that any transfer of staff from Blanchardstown to Ballymun has been done to ease waiting lists in other areas. It has been done for no other purpose. The overall complement of the Eastern Health Board dental staff is not reduced by virtue of the embargo. Of the full allocation of 11 vacancies for full-time posts eight are filled at present through the use of temporary and part-time staff and all the vacant posts are with the Local Appointments Commission for filling. The control over my work by the Department of Finance to that extent is not as pervasive as might have been felt.

May I finish this question?

It sometimes takes a long time to finish a question nowadays.

The position at the moment in relation to Ballymun is that one dentist, who has been serving the area for four days a week, has now been transferred to another area and he has been replaced by a dentist who is doing the equivalent of two-and-a-half days. If the result of this change in the service in the area results in a waiting list will the Minister see that the full service is restored to the Ballymun area?

At that stage the health board would review the situation. It has been evident to the health board that the extent of the allocation of dental cover in the area at present would meet the waiting list in the area. If the waiting list fills up I have no doubt that the health board will again examine the matter. There was a build up of a waiting list in Blanchardstown and for that reason there was a transfer of staff to that area. The health board will examine the matter very closely.

With regard to the embargo in relation to the filling of vacancies where only one in three vacancies is filled, does that apply to the dental service?

It is quite possible but I have endeavoured to ensure that it does not.

The remaining questions will appear on tomorrow's Order Paper.

I wish to raise on the Adjournment the question of the future staffing of the examination branch of the Department of Education in Athlone.

The Chair will communicate with the Deputy.

I wish to raise on the Adjournment the extension of postal voting to the disabled.

The Chair will communicate with the Deputy.