Mary Mitchell O'Connor (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Mr. Hourihan for his very comprehensive presentation.

I have two questions, one of which is on the voucher system. Will Mr. Hourihan elaborate on it? Could he also elaborate on value for money? It is well known that it is much cheaper to avail of dental health services in Northern Ireland, England and the rest of Europe than it is here. Can better value for money be provided here? We all acknowledge the country is in recession and that it is difficult to fund various services. I refer to ordinary dental services. Orthodontic treatment in this State is extraordinarily expensive. The cost is almost double or treble that in other countries. Could Mr. Hourihan comment on that?