Mary Ann O'Brien (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for attending. I apologise as I have to leave to go to another meeting shortly. In regard to the Minister's excellent presentation and his vision for Ireland as a future global leader in sustainable food production, I have a question for him on fluoridation. As he knows, 98% of Europe has rejected fluoridation and Ireland is the only nation that is still fluoridating its water. We had a slight exchange in the agriculture committee earlier in the year and I know it is a subject that interests the Minister and on which he is waiting for a report to come out.

Anything I am going to say is fact. Fluoride is a highly poisonous substance. In America, every box of toothpaste, by law, has to state that a pea-sized amount of toothpaste is potentially a poison, although I do not have the exact wording of that warning. If somebody swallows more than a pea-sized amount, they need to contact a poison control centre - that is what is, by law, on every toothpaste box in America.

Critically, fluoride is added to tap water at potentially toxic levels. A glass of Irish tap water contains the same amount of fluoride as a pea-sized amount of toothpaste. Has an environmental study ever been commissioned by the Irish Government on the effect of artificially fluoridated water on our food and agriculture? Have the National Food Centre, Teagasc or Bord Bia ever tested the level of fluorides in our foodstuffs or drinks?

I have followed the Minister from the beginning of my time in the House and I am a great admirer of his and all he has done. I am also a huge admirer of Origin Green and of all that has been done in regard to Food Harvest 2020 and now the 2025 strategy. However, I could not let today go and talk about the future of the Irish agri-food industry without mentioning this topic which is in black and white in front of us. Why are we the only nation that does this? Israel, which has had fluoride for decades, banned it this year and it is prohibited by law in the Netherlands, whereas it is the law to have it here. I do not believe the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine is ever brought into the bigger picture. Water is a huge ingredient in our agriculture and food and drinks sectors. This is something that needs to be addressed. I would love to hear the Minister's opinion.