Deirdre Clune (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)

The Acting Chairman, Deputy Kathleen Lynch, will be aware of the matter I raise as I have raised it on the Adjournment on two previous occasions in this Dáil. I also believe the Minister of State, Deputy Seán Haughey, responded on at least one of those occasions.

Adults with special needs who require dental services, including routine or minor treatments such as fillings and cleaning, must have the work done under general anaesthetic. This usually requires a day procedure in hospital for which theatre space is required. In the Cork area such procedures are performed in Cork University Hospital. Following the development of a significant waiting list for dental services for adults with special needs, a new service was established in Cork in October 2009. As it amounted to only one session per month and usually involved the treatment of only one or two persons, depending on the nature of the work, the service has failed to make an impression on the waiting list in the 12 or 13 months it has been in operation.

I have spoken to people who have been waiting for more than three years for services and there is still no sign they will be treated. Recently, for example, the mother of a man of 29 years contacted me because her son was waiting for treatment at Cork University Hospital. He required a filling and had a developed an abscess which could not be treated owing to another medical complication. As a result, antibiotics could not be administered and he howled in pain for more than week until some form of pain management was eventually provided.

It is pathetic that individuals in this position who deserve to have a dental service provided to them are neglected in this manner. Everyone, whether a medical card holder or private patient, should be able to access routine and commonplace procedures such as fillings. The individuals in question, their families and carers are experiencing major trauma.

Additional theatre space is required to reduce the waiting list for treatment. A serious attempt must be made to eliminate the backlog of more than 200 patients. Once this has been achieved, it will be possible for the service at Cork University Hospital to function as envisaged. The limited service provided at present will not make an impression on the waiting list. When I wrote to the HSE I was informed the matter could be addressed in the reconfiguration of hospital services in the HSE south area. We do not have time for long-term planning of this nature. The matter must be addressed immediately.

I wrote to the director of Cork University Hospital, the centre that is failing to provide the necessary service, who indicated that the matter is one for the HSE. The individuals in question are being passed from Billy to Jack because a proper service is not being provided. The neglect of their dental heath may lead to further complications, which is a source of major frustration for parents, carers and the adults who depend on the service.

I hope the Minister of State will not indicate that the issue is one to be addressed as part of a reconfiguration process and will instead outline a plan to provide some form of emergency service to accommodate the 200 or more individuals on the waiting list and relieve the awful distress they are experiencing.

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