Jennifer Murnane O'Connor (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

It has come to my attention that medical card dental patients are being told that they cannot access dental care due to Covid-19. As we know, personal protective equipment, PPE, has become a major issue and, in dental practices, the cost of PPE is, in some cases, being added to the cost of the treatment. The Dental Council of Ireland, the regulatory body for dental professionals, has stated that dentists are free to decide on the fees they charge. If a dentist is making an additional charge for PPE, that must be listed on the display price list and be made clear to patients prior to treatment. However, the increased cost in providing PPE is not covered for patients who have medical cards. This has meant that patients with medical cards have not been permitted to access dental services. This is discrimination of the highest sort and the Government needs to sort this out. We need to cover the cost of treatments. We cannot allow anyone to be unable to access treatment.

The range of treatments dentists can safely provide during this crisis is already limited. There are mutterings of an establishment of centralised hubs for the provision of emergency dental care provided under the auspices of the HSE, staffed by the dental treatment services scheme, DTSS, contract holders. Is this where medical card patients are meant to go now? Are we allowing this to happen? Will the Minister clarify this matter for me today? It is serious.

My next question applies to the Department of Health and the Department of Education and Skills. It is important we discuss the matter. Third year social care students from Carlow IT were conducting their placements when the Covid-19 crisis began and the placements were suspended. On average, students had completed approximately 75% of their placements. Those students had hoped to gain full-time employment contracts upon the completion of their three years in social care because they would have been qualified social care workers. The recognised registration board for social care workers, the Health and Social Care Professionals Council, CORU, has stated that students must still complete their placement hours before they become recognised as qualified social care workers. Could the Minister do something about that for me? Many students have got in touch with me on this important issue.

Several people have contacted me about the serious issue of the high cost of being left on waiting lists and having to resort to paying privately for procedures. An elderly couple approached me a few weeks ago. These people had private health insurance and were waiting to see what would happen at the end of the month. The lady in question needed eye injections and could not wait because her eyesight was deteriorating. She had to pay €1,600 for an injection. These people are old age pensioners who came to me having raised their family. To such a person, €1,600 is a considerable amount of money. How can we help these people to get back that money? It is important.

Is this my second, third or fourth question? I have asked the Minister so many questions that I have nearly confused myself. When are doctors going to see patients one on one? It is a concern. Doctors have been ringing patients and I know that some doctors are seeing patients. There are many patients who might be nervous to go back to doctors and to have a one-on-one session. Can the Minister provide a timescale for that? When will appointments be available again in public hospitals for public patients? Several people have queried that with me. I must share my time with my colleagues so I ask the Minister to come back to me on those matters.

See this speech in context