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

I thank the Deputy. This is a very serious issue for children who are waiting for public dental assessment in the Deputy's county of Monaghan. The HSE oral healthcare service aims to provide an oral examination and necessary treatment for children between second and sixth class and, in some cases, fourth class. Emergency care is provided for children of all ages up to 16 and for those with complex and additional needs. Due to the nature of the oral health examination programme, it does not meet the usual definition of a formal waiting list. However, children are deemed eligible on 1 September when they commence the relevant academic year.

The Department of Health engages with the HSE on an ongoing basis to understand and address any challenges arising in the provision of public oral healthcare services. The Minister for Health is aware that there are backlogs in the HSE’s child oral health examination programme which has meant that sixth class groups are being prioritised. Currently, capacity in the Cavan-Monaghan area is impacted by maternity leave which is reducing service provision. I take into account what the Deputy has said about the children over the last year who have not had a check-up. She can be assured that it will go back to the Department and the Minister for Health, Deputy Carroll MacNeill. The public dental service in Monaghan is currently targeting children in the 2023-24 academic year, 65% of whom have received assessments. There are 832 consents received from parents for children in the 2024-25 academic year who are waiting for appointments. So far in 2025, 425 sixth class targeted assessments have been completed in the Cavan-Monaghan area.

The Government acknowledges that more needs to be done to ensure these children can access their examination appointment. Building on investment of over €230 million per year in public oral healthcare services, an additional €2 million was awarded in budget 2025 to recruit 15 additional oral healthcare WTEs nationally. The Deputy is right that one of the biggest issues is recruitment. As she said, there may be staff out on maternity leave or there could be vacancies. That is an issue and a challenge for us. The good news for us is that there was funding in budget 2025 to recruit 15 additional oral healthcare WTEs nationally.

In the longer term, the Minister recognises that oral healthcare needs to be modernised in line with best international evidence and practice, as set out in the national oral health policy, Smile agus Sláinte. The €2 million budget 2025 investment will increase to €4 million in 2026. This supports the delivery of a three-year implementation plan for the policy, which is currently being finalised for publication by the Department of Health and the HSE. Service reform is vital to improve access to services in the long term, to ensure care is accessible from birth and is prevention based. The policy also highlights the need for strategic workforce planning to ensure a sufficient number of appropriately trained oral healthcare professionals, to include dentists, dental hygienists, dental nurses and other auxiliary grades. The Department of Health will continue to work with the HSE to continue to address any challenges arising in the provision of oral healthcare services and ensure the implementation of necessary reforms.

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