Deirdre Clune (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)

I thank the Ceann Comhairle's office for allowing me to raise this issue again, having had the opportunity to raise it during the past 12 months. It is an extremely important issue to a number of people. I have given a commitment to a number of mothers in particular who have adult children over 16 years of age with an intellectual disability who cannot get routine dental treatment because it is required under general anaesthetic. This issue is particular to the Cork region. It is a distressing situation that has arisen for the parents, who are the carers of these adult children, and for the adult children.

The problem is that for a simple procedure such as a filling or for even a scale and polish adults with intellectual disabilities in some cases require a general anaesthetic. It is a day procedure but it must be done under strict criteria, which we all accept. They have been referred by their dentist or general practitioner to the Cork University Dental Hospital for these procedures, the waiting list for which is mounting and is now more than two years. In the period I have been raising this issue, one or two of these adults have been dealt with as an emergency case in Tralee, but that is not satisfactory. It does not address the ongoing problem and the fact that the waiting list for these procedures is mounting.

I tabled a question on this issue to the Minister in June of this year to which I received a reply from the HSE. I was told in June that the HSE has made provisional agreement with the Cork University Hospital anaesthesia and day treatment departments to commence an additional two treatment sessions per month for adults with special needs beginning in September 2008. This will be provided by HSE staff in collaboration with the dental school and the service will increase capacity, reduce existing waiting lists and manage referrals. That reply in June was welcome news.

In November I again raised this question and was told that progress had been made, nevertheless, no service has been provided. The HSE in north Cork recruited a senior dentist in July 2008. He commenced in September and is skilled and experienced in the delivery of dental services to adults with an intellectual disability under general anaesthetic. He is currently working on preparing the protocols, policies and procedures to commence this service and discussions are ongoing with Cork University Hospital with an anticipated starting date of early December 2008, which is this week. I was contacted yesterday by two parents of adult children who are in this position and no service has been provided for them. The dentist and anaesthetist are in place but there are no beds available. Therefore, there is no provision again in December for these adults.

I cried with a parent as she told me on the telephone of her daughter who needs a filling in her front tooth. Her tooth is deteriorating and it will get to the stage where she will push her tongue against her broken tooth and get a crack in her tongue and will end up with untold problems. That is a small issue, but it must be dealt with. It is only one of the stories of all these adults provision for whom is being neglected.

The Minister of State will probably tell me this is a matter for the HSE, but it is matter for this House and for those of us who have been elected to represent these people. It is a matter for the Department of Health and Children which has decided policy in this area, namely, that these people will be given the necessary dental treatment, yet it is not happening on the ground. It is a tragic situation that needs to be addressed. We are getting there slowly, but we cannot close the circle to ensure that these people receive the necessary dental treatments that should be available to them.

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