Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I believe this would be the right place for that debate. However, we also need to be concerned about the public and its view of what is said here. We must have a concern for comments that are alarmist and the impact these could have on people's health by the raising of concerns that are unjustified. I have two young children who are more important than anything else in the world to me. I will not allow them to use a water supply that will damage their health. This is not a topic I am an expert on, but if I can see a justification for the need to change the regulations, I will do that, particularly given the personal motivation of my love for my children.

Some friends of mine and constituents in County Tipperary have raised this issue with me. It is an issue we need to keep under consideration, but I remain of the belief currently that there is a justification for fluoridation. If that is overturned and justification for change is made, the process will begin and debate will be held. However, the expert group is in place and will report to the Minister for Health.

My Department sits on that group. I will, from this process, take an added interest in my representative and what he or she hears from it but it is a wider debate. I have a concern, which emanated from this debate, that we can be concerned as public representatives but to be overly alarmist could cause other public health issues, concerns and problems. Therefore, we need to be careful.

I understand the Minister for Health has quite an interest in this topic and the expert group will report back to him. Once it does so, Senators can then ask the Minister for Health to update them on Government thinking on this matter. I will play my role by having a representative on the expert group. We must be concerned about being alarmist about this issue and it is not appropriate for this Bill in a legislative forum. An expert group is already in place and I await its findings. I will consult with the Minister for Health about this matter.

I want to get rid of any thoughts out there that this is a case of local authorities literally getting bags of this stuff and throwing it into the water supply. That is incredible because it does not happen and it did not happen. A process was administered by local authorities but that is administered by Irish Water now. The process is very measured, is overseen by the EPA and is done, in minute detail, to the levels required. That is how the process must be done. A Senator stood up here and said bags of this stuff were literally shovelled into the water supply, that a guy cut the cord and threw it in but nobody knew what was going on. That is incredible.