asked the Minister for Social Welfare the total cost to her Department if she took control of the dental scheme for medical card patients.

Under schemes operated by the health boards medical card holders and their dependants are entitled to all necessary dental treatment free of charge. The treatment benefit scheme managed by my Department provides insured persons with coverage, free of charge, for certain treatments such as fillings, scalings and extractions and a subvention is paid towards the cost of more expensive treatment such as crowns, dentures and bridges.

If medical card holders and their dependants were given the same entitlements as insured persons under the treatment benefit scheme as it now stands, the estimated additional cost to my Department would be in the region of £12 million per year.

Is the Minister aware that, in the Western Health Board area, people are receiving letters from her Department saying they are entitled to dental treatment but the health board have not had a dental scheme in operation since June 1984? Would the Minister give the House any indication as to whether the Government would provide more money for dental treatment which constitutes a very serious problem in the Western Health Board area?

I am not aware of what goes on in the Western Health Board area. That is really a matter for the Minister for Health. I can only deal with the schemes operated by my Department which deal with insured persons, as I said in answer to the Deputy's question. Perhaps the question of the problems of the Western health Board would be better dealt with by the Minister for Health.

I put this question down to the Minister for Health and did not receive a very satisfactory answer. I know there is a feeling amongst people in the health board that, as these types of letters are emanating from her Department, it might be better for the Department to take over the whole scheme.

The Deputy wants my Department to take over the whole scheme?

The Minister did mention a figure of——

——twelve million pounds.

Would the Minister say if there are any plans afoot to improve this service because people are receiving letters from her Department saying they are entitled to treatment.

I do not have any plans to do that. The Commission on Social Welfare have suggested that the whole treatment side should be changed to the Department of Health. I have no plans to do that at present. But I will look into the matter of the letters and the problems being encountered in the Western Health Board area.