David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I know the Chairman wants to come back in so I will finish on this. It is frustrating that I have listened to this for about an hour and a half. I thought that Dr. Kavanagh's and Dr. Dougall's responses were first class in setting out the policy and vision, as well as what needs to be done and what people need to do to look after their oral health, dental health and so on. We have also heard from others. It makes a mockery of policy if there is a 60 month waiting list in the south east. It takes five years to see an orthodontist. Priority cases were up to date in 2014 and 2015 but have slipped back to 18 month waiting times. It is hard to sit here and listen to all that has been said about policy when the reality for people is somewhat different. Children suffer most. If children have been waiting for five years for a routine case, they have been referred for a reason, even if it is a routine one. If it gets worse over five years, the child could be 13 or 14 when he or she is referred and could be 19 before he or she is seen. It seems outrageous. I commend the people who passionately champion the policy but policy is one thing, while the implementation and outworkings of policy are another. The policy and what is available for people in the south east seem to be two different things.