Question from Deputy Paul Lawless - PQ 43342-26

To ask the Minister for Health if he will provide a comprehensive outline of the current HSE orthodontic treatment policy for children, including the clinical criteria and scoring systems used to determine eligibility; the rationale behind restricting access primarily to cases deemed 'severe' or 'very severe'; and if he will consider revising these thresholds in light of growing evidence that many children with clear clinical need, as identified by referring dentists, are being denied treatment, thereby placing a significant financial burden on ordinary working families who must seek private care at considerable personal expense.