John Paul O'Shea (Cork North-West, Fine Gael)

I thank the Minister for her response. I want to focus on the HSE dental services that are available to children and to adults with significant special care needs. The service provided over the last number of years has been challenged by the Covid-19 pandemic. There have been a number of challenges in terms of providing orthodontics, particularly in ensuring there are enough staff to support clinics right across Cork North-West. We have clinics in Charleville, Newmarket, Mallow and Macroom. We also have St. Finbarr's Hospital and the Cork University Dental School and Hospital in Wilton to support that. However, it has been quite challenging to get the school programmes back up and running. Obviously, there is an opportunity for children in second class and sixth class to avail of dental examinations and appointments. There has been some improvement. I encourage the Minister to see if we can work with the HSE to make more improvements in that regard and make more clinics available more locally. It is a challenge for people in Cork North-West to travel into the city to accommodate clinic appointments in St. Finbarr's Hospital or the dental hospital. More clinics around the vicinity of Cork North-West would be of huge benefit.

See this speech in context