Ruairi Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

We all welcome the moves relating to preventative care. As part of a perfect solution, we would eventually have a sufficient level of public dentistry to provide what is required. I am glad that some people are getting necessary dental care through the private sector. The numbers have obviously jumped. In 2021, in the Louth-Meath area, 77 patients were accepted at a cost of €200,995. By 2023, that figure had risen to 256 patients at a cost of €889,530. These are category four patients whereas the parents of category five children are regularly contacted and asked if the children have gone to the North. We need to find a fix for this. We are told that the HSE is carrying out an assessment of feasibility for a similar initiative but we need to see some detail about it because if some of these cases are left, the children will end up in detrimental circumstances.

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