Pat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael)
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Question 122: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the situation with regard to orthodontic treatment in the mid-west region; if she will deal with the huge waiting list for children in the mid-west region; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5844/05]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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The Health Act 2004 provided for the Health Service Executive, HSE, which was established on 1 January 2005. Under the Act, the executive has the responsibility to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. This includes responsibility for orthodontic services. I am pleased to advise the Deputy that a number of measures have been adopted to improve orthodontic services in the HSE mid-western area and on a national basis.

The grade of specialist in orthodontics has been created in the orthodontic service. In 2003, my Department and the former health boards funded 19 dentists from various health board areas for specialist in orthodontics qualifications at training programmes in Ireland and at three separate universities in the United Kingdom. These 19 trainees for the public orthodontic service include six dentists who successfully completed their training in September 2004 and have taken up duties with the HSE. These measures will complement the other structural changes being introduced into the orthodontic service, including the creation of an auxiliary grade of orthodontic therapist to work in the orthodontic area.

Furthermore, the commitment of the Department to training development is manifested in the funding provided to both the training of specialist clinical staff and the recruitment of a professor in orthodontics for the Cork dental school. This appointment at the school will facilitate the development of an approved training programme leading to specialist qualification in orthodontics. My Department has given approval in principle to a proposal to further substantially improve training facilities for orthodontics at the school, which will ultimately support an enhanced teaching and treatment service to the wider region, including the HSE mid-western area, under the leadership of the professor of orthodontics.