Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy Doherty for raising this matter. This is a really important service and a really important issue. It is important we get the dental service children need at a young age. That is why it is in the school system. It is also a key priority for the Government. We have been investing over €200 million annually in the provision of oral healthcare, targeting, in particular, those most in need of support to access that care. This includes, importantly and in the context of the issue the Deputy raises, an additional €15 million in core funding since 2019-20 to support the national oral health policy, Smile agus Sláinte, and an additional €17 million in one-off funding to address service backlogs. The HSE is progressing the development of oral healthcare packages for children from birth to seven years of age. That is being supported by an additional funding package in the most recent budget of €4.75 million to facilitate the development of that service. We are also seeing additional investment being provided to target orthodontic waiting lists, prioritising those who have been waiting the longest to access treatment. In 2023, more than 2,000 patients were removed from the HSE's orthodontic treatment waiting list as a result of that funding. There was a reduction of 47% in the number of patients waiting to commence orthodontic treatment between the end of March 2020 and the end of June of last year. In addition, a new orthognathic, or jaw surgery, waiting list initiative commenced in September of last year, providing complex surgeries to patients. These surgeries require lengthy hospital stays. In addition, a further €3.35 million is being invested this year on a one-off basis to support the continuation of measures to reduce orthodontic waiting lists, prioritising those most in need.

We absolutely accept the importance of dental services to young people, particularly those who are of school age, the early advice intervention as regards good oral care and, particularly, treatments where they are necessary. We accept that there are pressures on the system. As a Government, we are significantly increasing the funding to help to address that, and I know the Minister, Deputy Donnelly, is particularly focused on that. We will continue that work because, as regards the two biyearly assessments that young children get when they go through primary school, it is really important we ensure that the resources are in place and that they get them when they need them. This certainly prevents many challenges down the line and ensures that children get the treatment when they need it.

See this speech in context