Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

We are currently drafting the implementation plan for the next three years of the national oral health policy. There will be a regional view but with something as specialist as orthodontic care, the priority is making sure children get the care. We all want care provided as close to us as possible and we must always strive to do that. While orthodontic treatment is, hopefully, one of a small number of interventions a child might need in their entire life, it can be life-changing. As parents, we may have to travel a bit further on one, two or three days but our priority is getting our children the care they need. I fully accept the Deputy's point that we want to have that care provided as close to the patient and as close to the child as possible.

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