Michael Brennan (Progressive Democrats)

I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Brian Lenihan to the House. The purpose of this Adjournment matter is to request the Minister for Health and Children to look favourably on a request for the establishment of a regional consultant post in restorative dentistry in the Limerick-mid-western region. On a part-time basis this service has been provided at the Mid-Western Health Board orthodontic unit in St. Camillus's Hospital Limerick since 1997 and has involved the provision of restorative dental treatment to those categories of patients requiring a multi-disciplinary approach or optimum oral rehabilitation, patients with clefts of the lip and palate and patients with hypodontia or congenitally missing teeth. Treatment has been provided from this region for patients with oral cancer and treatment has also been provided for patients referred from the community dental service who require specialist restorative treatment, such as central trauma cases and difficult complete denture cases.

Prior to the establishment of this service most patients were referred to either Cork or Dublin. The establishment of a regional consultative post in restorative dentistry would ensure that the benefit of specialised restorative care would be available and accessible to patients in the mid-western region and in Limerick. I pay tribute to the service provided in St. Camillus's Hospital over the years and I ask the Minister to look favourably on this request.