Ciarán Lynch (Cork South Central, Labour)
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Question 517: To ask the Minister for Health when a long term care bed will be provided for a person (details supplied) in County Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21287/11]

Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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As the Deputy's question relates to service matters I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply to the Deputy.

Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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Question 518: To ask the Minister for Health his total budget for dental services this year; if he will provide a breakdown of same between payments to private dentists for services to medical card holders and cost of Health Service Executive direct provision services; if the level of staff under the HSE direct services can be outlined and a summary of efficiencies introduced in this service over the past 18 months; if any study or report of comparable efficiency of private dentist service and HSE direct service has been carried out; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21289/11]

Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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The budget for the Public Dental Service (PDS), which provides oral health services to children under 16 and people of all ages with special needs is €60 million. The number of dental surgeons employed by the HSE in the PDS is approximately 320 whole time equivalents; the number of dental nurses and hygienists employed is approximately 600 whole time equivalents. The budget for the Dental Treatment Services Scheme (DTSS), which provides dental treatment to medical card holders by approximately 1,400 dental practitioners holding contracts with the HSE, is €63 million.

The Strategic Review of the Delivery and Management of HSE Dental Services (2010) has identified steps to be taken to improve efficiency of the DTSS and the PDS. The HSE is currently implementing the recommendations of the Review. Given that the DTSS and PDS target different patient cohorts, it is not possible to compare the services in terms of efficiency.

Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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Question 519: To ask the Minister for Health the cost of the DTSS dental scheme for medical card holders in 2010; if comparison with the past five years will be given; if an estimate for 2011 will be given; if there has been any relaxation in the criteria or instructions to dentists as introduced in 2010; if in relation to each registered dentist nationally, the names can be listed and amounts earned by in 2009 and 2010 be separately shown; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21291/11]

Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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Expenditure on the Dental Treatment Services Scheme for the years 2006 to 2010 is as follows:

In order to control expenditure in the DTSS, the Health Service Executive (HSE) introduced measures in 2010 to ensure that patients with special needs, high risk patients and those who have greater clinical needs receive priority for treatment. Expenditure on the DTSS is currently being maintained at the 2008 level of approximately €63 million and the measures introduced in 2010 remain in place. The HSE will continue to monitor the operation of the DTSS to ensure the most beneficial, effective and efficient use of available resources.

The Primary Care Reimbursement Service of the HSE publishes the amounts paid to each contracted dentist in the DTSS annually. This information for 2009 is available on its website, www.pcrs.ie. The HSE is currently compiling data for 2010, which is expected to be published shortly.