SOME of Ireland’s top rugby stars wore black arm bands yesterday as they completed the Irish stage of the cross-channel fundraising cycle for Munster’s former fitness coach Paul Darbyshire, who died on Monday after a long battle with motor neurone disease.

AS a public service worker I wonder how much money could be saved if the Government was to implement the following plan?

THERE has been considerable discussion recently over the failure of HSE South to provide general anaesthetic facilities to adult patients with special needs. This problem has been ongoing for almost 12 months.

IN November 2006, as a member of the orthodontic services review body, I submitted a minority report to the chairman of the committee Mr Hugh Kane, and to Professor B Drumm.

ORTHODONTIC treatment in some areas is on “the verge of collapse” and children are at risk of being damaged because dentists training to be orthodontists are not being replaced.

I REFER to the letter headlined ‘Orthodontic services are making real progress’ (Irish Examiner, February 4).

THE post of specialist in orthodontics for the Health Service Executive (HSE) Southern Area was advertised with a closing date of May 2005.

A SUB-COMMITTEE of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children recently produced their report on public health orthodontic services.

A STAGGERING 50% of children have decayed teeth by the age of 12, a new survey has found.

CHILDREN eligible for orthodontic treatment are being denied treatment in many areas and parents are being forced to go into debt to send them to the North for treatment, it was claimed yesterday.

I REFER to the article entitled Child dental problems ‘camouflaged’ (Irish Examiner, Sept 13). It is heartening to see a consultant orthodontist so openly critical of the Department of Health and its policies over the past few years.

CHILDREN with severe dental problems are being removed from waiting lists to camouflage the extent of the problem, according to the head of dental services in the Mid-Western Health Board (MWHB).

CHILDREN awaiting specialist dental treatment in the health board area with the largest waiting list face further delays after a consultant orthodontist declined a job offer.

OVER the past few months, there has been considerable public disquiet about the level of cutbacks in our health services.

A PRIVATE orthodontist contracted to the Government’s treatment purchase scheme stands to earn €1.7 million in two years, while an entire public dental health department has an annual budget of €1.5m.