Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

As I mentioned, additional funding has been provided to resolve the current problems with accessing the dental treatment services scheme. The preventive scale and polish, which has been reintroduced, is being accessed by patients. However, the Minister and the Government recognise that the current model of provision of oral healthcare is in need of fundamental reform. I think we all agree on that. The Smile agus Sláinte oral health policy provides the guiding principles aligned with Sláintecare. It will support the provision of all levels of care and has two goals, which are to provide the supports to enable each individual to achieve his or her personal best oral health and to reduce oral health inequalities across the population. That is what we are really talking about today by enabling vulnerable groups to access oral healthcare and improve their oral health.

I have taken on board everything the Deputy said. I had a case where I was contacted by somebody in a direct provision centre in Carrick-on-Suir, which is not in my constituency but is only a few miles down the road. Again, I was able to go through the HSE and refer her on. It did take a few days, however, and the person was in a lot of pain. I accept and acknowledge that.

I am hopeful about the extra funding of €26 million that has been provided this year on top of the funding that was already there. We are seeing slowly but surely that some people are coming back. I am also hearing on the ground that if a person goes to a dentist privately, the waiting lists have gotten longer than they were previously. I do not know whether that is a challenge with regard to the number of dentists we have in the country. I know from personal experience that a member of my own family had to wait four weeks for a routine check-up, which was not the case previously. It is certainly something that is very much on the Minister's agenda. It is on all of our agendas because we are coping with it every day of the week. I thank the Deputy very much for her question.

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