Gino Kenny (Dublin Mid West, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

I commend the Social Democrats on introducing a motion on this important issue. The Minister of State attended a briefing by the Dental Council and the Irish Dental Association at the Joint Committee on Health a number of weeks ago. The picture they portrayed was stark in respect of oral healthcare in Ireland. The reality is that 80% of oral and dental healthcare is privatised. That was not the case 30 years ago. In fact, the opposite was probably the case. We have seen this happen in other parts of our healthcare system.

We have an arbitrary system of routine checks in primary schools. At one stage, perhaps 30 or 40 years ago, school children got two, three or more checks when they were in primary school. Children are now lucky to get one check. That can have a knock-on effect on oral health. When children are not getting any sort of intervention in their primary years, it will have an effect on their oral health in their adult years.

The Irish Dental Association has stated that the medical card scheme is not fit for purpose. It is in a state of disarray. We see these issues throughout industrialised countries. If you are poor and working class, your oral health will be of a lesser standard than somebody who has access to more resources and so forth.

The Dental Council has stated that the legislation, which dates from 1985, is antiquated and needs to be reformed. Its representatives have met five consecutive Ministers for Health to say that the legislation, which was written 40 years ago, is out of date and needs to be completely reformed. That reform is required in respect of dental healthcare. We also need reform of the legislation around guidance and regulation. The Dental Council painted another stark picture of the regulation of dentists in Ireland. Some dentists should not be practising but are doing so because of the lack of regulation. It is important that the legislation from 1985 is reformed to make it fit for purpose for people who are seeking dental healthcare and for society as a whole.

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