160. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 587 of 5 March 2026, for an update on the formal business case concerning orthodontic staffing in HSE South West; whether approval has been granted for additional consultant orthodontist posts and succession planning for the anticipated retirement; the current number of consultant orthodontists employed in whole-time equivalent terms; the number of children awaiting assessment and treatment in Cork and Kerry, respectively; the current waiting times; and the measures being taken to reduce these waiting lists. [67335/26]

As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly.