Jennifer Murnane O'Connor (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for coming to the House to deal with this matter. I had hoped the Minister, Deputy Harris, would be here but I know he is a busy man.

I have been inundated with calls from people with serious concerns regarding dental care for children in CHO5. The HSE provides dental services to children up to aged 16. Children attending primary schools can be referred to dental treatment by a child health service or following a routine school visit. Children attending primary schools are screened in second, fourth and sixth class and, if necessary, are referred to the local dental clinic for treatment. Some children are referred to an orthodontic clinic for further treatment. This referral is from the principal dental surgeon in the health centre and orthodontic treatment is free. An individual's access to orthodontic treatment is determined by guidelines known as the "modified index of treatment need". Emergency services are also available to all schoolgoing children but mainly on a part-time, specific weekday basis. There is nothing but costly private dental care for children on weekends.

I recently heard from constituents who have a child with a baby tooth that would not fall out going for a two-second tweezer extraction on a Saturday that cost them €75, for which the tooth fairy gave them back €2. We all know who lost out. The Minister of State will be aware of the great benefits of the scheme. Many children are caught early and encouraged to ensure good dental hygiene and there is often a need to undertake only minimal work to prevent major work in the future. However, there is a serious problem with the scheme. Data published last month by the Irish Dental Association indicate that more than 80,000 children and adolescents are waiting for a public dental assessment or treatment, of which 22,900 are on the waiting list in CHO5, which takes in Carlow-Kilkenny, south Tipperary, Waterford and Wexford. In almost every area of society early intervention saves time, money and distress and produces far better outcomes.

How does the Minister propose to tackle the unacceptable delays in this scheme? It is not good enough that hard pressed parents are forced to pay for the treatment their child or children urgently need. Many of them cannot afford it. The aim of the scheme is to provide dental care for every child regardless of means. It is a wonderful idea but it is not working. According to the Irish Dental Association, the waiting list numbers are shocking. Its spokesperson, Dr. Gillian Smith, said that due to the delays around assessments children were enduring painful episodes and being treated with antibiotics and, often, surgery under general anaesthetic, which is costly to the State and easily prevented with early intervention.

The incredible waiting lists have been highlighted by hundreds of my constituents in just two counties in CHO5. I imagine hundreds more in the other counties are not complaining because they realise we are all being forced into a two-tier system, whether we like it. People feel they have to pay for everything. What is the Department of Health doing to reduce waiting lists in this area? On the modified index of treatment need, many children appear to be just outside the threshold. In 2013, the HSE commissioned an independent review of orthodontic services. Something is wrong if orthodontic services across the country are offering easy pay plans for taxpayers to have their children treated because the HSE is not getting the job done.

It was revealed late last year that there is a 12 month waiting list for orthodontic treatment in my area. That is a long time for a child suffering with a grade four diagnosis, which may mean speech difficulties or protruding displacement of teeth, or a child with a grade five diagnosis and abnormally arranged teeth, not to mention the child whose diagnosis is minimally outside of the guidelines in terms of access to treatment. Parents are forced to pay for this treatment. On 4 February last, the Minister, Deputy Harris, said on RTÉ radio that it is his job to look after the health of the children of Ireland. The delays in the dental assessment and treatment area are unacceptable. I hope the Minister of State will be able to answer my questions today.