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

I thank the Minister of State. I welcome the appointment of a strategic reform lead to drive policy. However, there is a situation in which children are going to secondary school and have not been assessed. It is a huge issue. Some parents do not have the money to bring their children to a private dentist and there is only one dentist in Carlow who covers the public scheme. Carlow in the last census had a population of more than 62,000 and it is growing. We are delighted it is growing but with that are challenges. I know the Minister of State will go back to the Minister for Health and highlight my concerns that we need to make sure children are seen in primary schools when they are meant to be seen.

Another issue came up about medical card and what it will cover when you go to the dentist. That must be looked at too. I welcome that the system is being looked at. It needs to be changed. Another area which needs to be looked at and totally reformed is the dental tax relief scheme, the MED 2 form, to increase tax relief to a minimum of 30%, expanding access to treatments and reliefs available and making applying more simple and related to the ongoing health of patients, including extractions, fillings and hygiene treatments.

Separately, many people have come to me about the tax Acts, which have not been consolidated since 1997. We must take this into account because of the challenges. We saw what happened over the past few years. It has been 26 years since this was looked at. I ask that that be looked at. I know the Minister of State is aware, as is the Minister for Health, that there are huge challenges across all of the health sector at the moment. Families are coming to me with children in primary school and they cannot access a dentist through the public health system. I know that will be looked into. Will the Minister of State come back to me with answers about it? I would really appreciate it.

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