Shane Ross (Independent)

I thank the Minister for her reply. The saving is €54 million, which I do not dispute because that is an acceptable figure. I have just been contacted by some dentists in the last few minutes. I was asked to ask the Minister the following. While the savings are being made, what is the estimate of the Department of Health and Children or the Department of Social and Family Affairs of the long-term cost to the health of the nation of abolishing these schemes? What damage will be done to health, which will cost the nation a lot of money in the long term? Has any analysis been done on this whatsoever or is it simply a case of "€54 million, bang, we have saved that"? Do we have any idea or are we just taking a purely short-term, knee-jerk reaction to this?