Clare Daly (Dublin North, Socialist Party) | Oireachtas source

I found the Minister of State's tone unhelpful. It is a progressive move for us to discuss this topic today and I compliment Deputy Stanley on tabling the Bill. Despite the Minister of State's protestations, from the beginning of Ireland's attempts to fluoridate our water, this has been a controversial issue.

Fifty years ago this year, Gladys Ryan took a High Court, and ultimately a Supreme Court, challenge against the State. Just as I salute the campaigners against fluoridation today, I want to salute Gladys Ryan, a woman who died in her 90s this year. As a housewife, this woman took on the State in the battle against fluoride, something that was not done at the time. The Minister of State will be aware that this was an important legal case which lasted for 65 days and went on appeal to the Supreme Court. This woman was an environmentalist before her time. She challenged fluoridation on a number of points, but mainly on the point that it was unconstitutional to interfere with the public water supply because people had no option but to drink from it. She argued that those who wanted fluoride had an alternative and could get it in toothpaste. That argument still stands. Gladys Ryan was represented by Seán McBride and had a huge legal team who operated pro bono. The team argued that fluoridation was an infringement of human rights because it removed choice. Many international experts who presented evidence in the case argued that fluoridation caused more damage than the help it was designed to provide. That has been the nub of the issue since. We need to re-examine this issue because time has moved on and we have more experience now.

Many of the points made by the Minister of State seemed to be caught in a bit of a time warp. He claimed boldly that supporting Deputy Stanley's Bill would lead to a deterioration in dental health. That is not true. We do not need to cite scientific studies to refute that claim. There are many such studies, but the Minister of State seemed to rely on one or two from 20 or 30 years ago. We do not need the studies because we have the direct experience of the 98% of the European countries that do not fluoridate their water supplies but whose dental health standards are far in excess of ours. We have the direct experience of the fact that only nine other countries fluoridate more than 50% of their water supply. We are not the league table leader in terms of dental care and standards. We are well down the list. Therefore, it is quite clear that fluoride is not helping, and that is a fact.

I am not so sure of the evidence with regard to many of the other claims regarding the damage caused by fluoride. However, many able scientists have presented evidence that there are significant negative health impacts. The Minister of State relied significantly in his argument on the Irish expert group report. I understand that report was 350 pages long, but that only approximately a page and a half dealt with the health issues. With the greatest respect to dentists, I do not believe they are experts in the biological effects of consuming toxins. Paediatricians, oncologists, toxicologists and neurologists should be and should have been involved in any serious health examination. The point being made is that there has not been a serious analysis of the health effects of fluoride in our water.

I would like the Minister of State to comment on the fact that following the expert group report here, the Food Safety Authority of Ireland was concerned and recommended that fluoridated water should not be added to infant formula. That recommendation was made because of the concern that infants might be poisoned. If that danger existed then, why do we say now there is no case to answer? We should take a practical attitude towards this issue. The way the Finnish authorities dealt with the issue is to be recommended. They removed fluoride without debate or discussion. We cannot do that here because we need to change the law. The Finnish authorities found that when they examined the health of the nation after the removal of fluoride, there were considerable improvements in health in a number of areas.

Why do we not conduct an experiment of our own? If we were to accept that the information is not conclusive, though it is overwhelmingly in favour of the fact that fluoride does harm rather than good, why would the Government not just remove fluoride for a year and carry out a survey at the end of the year? The worst that could happen would be that the Government would save €4 million that could be used on other beneficial projects. If our experience in Ireland was the same as that of the other European countries, the Government would save a potload of money on its health budget also. We should consider doing something of this nature.

This discussion is long overdue. Many of the points made by the Minister of State were the same as those made years ago, but science and experience have moved on. He mentioned other countries where fluoride is present in water supplies.

Most of the countries which the Minister of State said continue to fluoridate water are actually contemplating removing it. Ireland should follow suit.

It is reprehensible that the State would medicate the population on a systematic basis when there really is no need to do so. I am extremely disappointed by the Government's attitude on this issue. Its approach is regrettable and completely behind the times. I wonder whether those in government are of the view that if they remove fluoride from water supplies, they will be acknowledging the fact that it should never have been put into them in the first instance. That may be the case but I am of the view that the Government should be mature about this matter and avail of the opportunity that exists.

See this speech in context