Results 201-220 of 1,023,729 for in 'Dáil debates' OR (speaker:Tom Kitt OR speaker:Brian Leddin OR speaker:Jennifer Whitmore) in 'Committee meetings'

Dentistry Services: Motion (22 May 2024)

Duncan Smith: It is understandably disappointing that the Minister is not here. I understand he has a family bereavement and funeral this morning but I hope he gets an opportunity to look back at this debate. I sincerely thank Deputy Shortall and her party for tabling this motion. Not only does it relate to a contemporary, urgent health crisis – one of many – but it is also one to which I...

Dentistry Services: Motion (22 May 2024)

Imelda Munster: Public dental services have almost collapsed under this Government's watch. There are two main issues here. Primary school children are not getting vital checks in second, fourth and sixth class. Nearly half of children are not getting their checks. This was around 100,000 children last year and 100,000 children the year before that. Up to one year ago, more than 12,000 children had been...

Dentistry Services: Motion (22 May 2024)

Rose Conway-Walsh: I thank the Social Democrats for bringing forward this very important motion. As was said, and the Cathaoirleach Gníomhach knows this, for the past number of years we have been highlighting and giving examples of the collapse of the dental care system for medical card holders in Mayo. I am currently dealing with an 80-year-old woman. Two years ago her dentist told her they were no...

Dentistry Services: Motion (22 May 2024)

Martin Kenny: I thank the Social Democrats for bringing forward this motion. It is an issue in every constituency in the country and it is certainly an issue in my constituency in regard to the school dental service. Parents contact me regularly where their children have gone into sixth class and have never seen a dentist and go on to secondary school without seeing a dentist. This is happening...

Dentistry Services: Motion (22 May 2024)

Pa Daly: I thank the Social Democrats and Deputy Shortall for bringing this motion. It typifies the lack of attention and lack of care of the Minister that he is not here to address this. If I thought he was away negotiating with the HSE or working on a dental Bill, that would be one thing, but we can be sure that he is not. The state of dental services, particularly for children and the elderly,...

Dentistry Services: Motion (22 May 2024)

David Cullinane: I thank Deputy Shortall and the Social Democrats for moving the motion in the first instance. I do not know if the authors of the motion received any prior notice that the senior Minister would not be here but it is not acceptable that the Minister is not. There may be a reason for it but I heard the Chair himself raise this issue this morning-----

Dentistry Services: Motion (22 May 2024)

Michael Ring: It is not good enough.

Dentistry Services: Motion (22 May 2024)

David Cullinane: -----with regard to senior Ministers not coming in. Particularly when people are putting forward very substantial motions, the senior Minister should be here. That is what Opposition time is for. Time and again we are seeing it where a junior Minister is sent in and senior Ministers seem to think it is not their role, but it is. It is their job to be here and to answer the questions that...

Dentistry Services: Motion (22 May 2024)

Louise O'Reilly: I join my colleague, an Teachta Cullinane, in saying it is very disappointing the senior Minister is not here. This is an important matter, it is Opposition time and it is a time when the Opposition have, or should have, a chance to address senior Ministers directly. It is very disappointing he could not make himself available for this. I listened with some interest to the Minister of...

Dentistry Services: Motion (22 May 2024)

Cian O'Callaghan: I thank my colleague Deputy Shortall for her work in bringing forward this motion. It is very disappointing that the Minister for Health is not here and that the second junior Minister who has just come to join this debate is not connected to the Department in any way. The response the Minister of State has just read out does not address many of the fundamental issues we have listed in the...

Dentistry Services: Motion (22 May 2024)

Catherine Murphy: I will read back to the Minister of State one line that he read. He stated: The HSE public dental service also provides oral examination and treatment identified as necessary for children at three intervals, at ages six to eight years, 11 to 16 years and subject to capacity, nine to 11 years. Why are we hearing from parents and on the doors that children in certain locations have never...

Dentistry Services: Motion (22 May 2024)

Colm Burke: I thank the Deputies for tabling the motion and giving us the opportunity to discuss oral healthcare services, to provide some updates on developments in the sector and to outline the Government’s priorities to fundamentally reform these services over the coming years. I am taking this debate on behalf of the Minister. To be clear, this Government allocates over €200...

Dentistry Services: Motion (22 May 2024)

Holly Cairns: Dental services have been collapsing for years. There is no excuse for the complete neglect of the sector when it has been crying out for reform and regulation for decades. Dental services are out of reach for many people. Preventative care, regular check-ups and minor dental services are only available to people who can afford to pay. There are many failures in the current system but...

Dentistry Services: Motion (22 May 2024)

Jennifer Whitmore: The Ombudsman for Children has issued a report this week to highlight the many ways in which children are being failed in this country. The report states that children are competing for attention at a time of crisis in many areas. Dental health is one of those areas where children are being forgotten so I want to focus on children in this contribution. We have 104,000 children on a...

Dentistry Services: Motion (22 May 2024)

Dentistry Services: Motion (22 May 2024)

Róisín Shortall: I move: That Dáil Éireann: acknowledges that access to dental care is in crisis and that urgent action is required by Government to address the many aspects of this crisis; notes that: — there are an estimated 104,000 children on a waiting list for the school screening dental service, out of an eligible 208,000 children; — in the past five years there has been a...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: School Accommodation (22 May 2024)

Colm Burke: I am taking this Topical Issue on behalf of the Minister for Education. The Minister asked me to thank the Deputy for raising this matter as it provides the Department with an opportunity to clarify the position regarding the development of Fermoy Educate Together National School and, more specifically, the school's request for further accommodation. The Deputy may be aware that Fermoy...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: School Accommodation (22 May 2024)

Catherine Connolly: We are way over time.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: School Accommodation (22 May 2024)

Colm Burke: Officials in the Department of Education have been engaging with the school patron, Educate Together, in respect of the current and future needs of the school.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: School Accommodation (22 May 2024)

Pat Buckley: I know the Minister of State is only taking this Topical Issue on behalf of the Minister for Education. In the written response he has provided - I am blessed with power reading - it states, "Fermoy was one area surveyed in 2012 and 2013 under the patronage divestment process where there was sufficient parental demand to support changes in school patronage." The response further states,...