Luke Flanagan (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Independent) | Oireachtas source

A policy document stated: "Fine Gael believes there are sufficient grounds to point to serious health risks from cumulative amounts of fluoride in our piped water supply system". It stated there were deep environmental concerns about the current programme of fluoridation of the country's water supplies aimed at reducing tooth decay. I wonder what has changed. At the time less than 2% of Europe's population had fluoridated water and a number of countries had rejected, discontinued or banned the practice. Fine Gael also informed us that the Dutch had introduced a constitutional amendment in order that it could never be reintroduced. Mass hysteria, obviously, on the part of the Minister of State's Government partner, if what he says is correct. Fine Gael stated there had been claims of allergic responses to fluoridated water, including skin irritations, mouth ulcers, headaches, stomach upset and irritable bowel syndrome.

Last year when students from Mercy secondary school, Mounthawk, Tralee, County Kerry gave a presentation in the audio-visual room and educated many of us on this topic, Fine Gael and Government representatives fell over themselves to tell them they would do something about it. It looks as though nothing will be done. Worse, if students from that school wanted to come and give a presentation today, because of the "open and transparent" government we have, they would not be allowed to do so in the audio-visual room because the Government's main policy is that there shall be no dissent. If it is such a good idea to fluoridate water, why does the vast majority of Europe reject it? If it is such a good idea, why are we not top of the dental health league table? We are not. Belgium, Germany and Greece are ahead of us and do not fluoridate water.

It is not just Fine Gael that told us it would do something about this issue. The Labour Party's Whip who will whip people into voting against the Bill is in favour of banning fluoridation. He has said there is overwhelming evidence that it causes damage to the human body and that the idea of compulsorily applying it to every citizen who uses the public water supply is archaic in the extreme. This evidence against fluoridation, collected by serious scientists, is being presented to the Minister of State, yet he seems to be relying solely on the expert group. What is new? He needs to look beyond that group, "The Lard Council", at the large volume of counter evidence available, including from dental experts, on the necessity for this continued forced treatment. The Minister of State should listen to his Whip.

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