Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I am glad the Minister addressed in his response the matter of diagnostics. Just before I came here, I got figures on orthodontic and dental care. We want more primary care centres and further expansion because it is hard to believe that in County Galway, over 14,000 children have been waiting for dental screening for more than 12 months. Considering that anaesthetics are involved, we must remember those who are waiting are in pain. There are 58 young people waiting more than 52 weeks to have a filling or a tooth removed. That is hard to believe. If in pain, we would like to have the tooth removed. It would be beneficial to have diagnostic facilities attached to primary care centres. Maybe we have such long waiting lists because people are working and cannot get time off to bring their kids to the city centre, to Newcastle. Therefore, the opening of more primary care centres with attached diagnostic facilities would be very welcome.

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