Martin Conway (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank my colleague Deputy Durkan for facilitating me going ahead because I have commitments in the Seanad. I thank the witnesses for being here. The fact they have been here three times during the lifetime of this particular health committee amplifies the commitment this committee has to advancing oral healthcare and dental care in this country. We are as frustrated as anybody else and as they are at the lack of progress, particularly regarding new legislation. What concerns me most, to be frank, is the fact that 75% of dentists registered with the Dental Council do not accommodate medical card patients. If 75% of GPs in this country did not accommodate medical card patients, we would have a serious problem.

Dentistry is probably the Cinderella of the health services in this country. What do the witnesses see as necessary to do in order to ensure that more than 25% of dentists accommodate medical card patients? How much more needs to be done by the Department in order for more dentists to engage in this extremely important programme? Only three out of four medical card patients can access the service. In County Clare, there are only one or two dentists who will accommodate them. It is totally unacceptable. I consider it a crisis. What needs to be done to address it? What engagements have the witnesses had with the Department on these issues in recent times? Have they had a face-to-face meeting with the Minister to discuss them?