Seán Kyne (Fine Gael)

I thank the Minister of State for that response and his engagement on this matter. Indeed, I thank all Senators for their contributions during the course of this debate. I think the role of Senators, including Government Senators and backbenchers, is not just to clap each other on the back and say we are all wonderful, but to be critical, to bring up flaws, shortcomings and shortfalls and to respond to the needs of our constituents and people who bring matters to our attention. We have done that in this debate. I say that in response to Senator Conway, who rightly spoke about Fine Gael being in government for 14 years but should bear in mind that the Opposition is well able to bring forward debates it wishes to have on dentistry or anything else. We brought forward this positive motion, which outlines what we have done, what needs to be done and what is committed to under the programme for Government. That is welcome.

I welcome the Minister of State 's commitment to looking at those practices that have closed because that is a cohort of people who overnight can be left facing severe financial penalties. It is important that is looked at. The Minister of State said that there are currently 3,888 dentists on the Dental Council's register but data from the Department of Health shows that there are 2,420 dentists. I am not sure if all of the dentists on the Dental Council's register are practising or what the reason is for that disparity. Certainly the figures we have show that there is a shortfall in relation to this. I welcome the commitments in relation to the Dentists Act 1985, but the Minister of State has been in various Government Departments and I have been as well, and we know that sometimes these things can be on lists for a long time. The Minister for Health has to actively push for this to be part of the legislative programme, has to go through all the consultations, has to get the heads of a Bill published, has to go through pre-legislative scrutiny and has to get a Bill drafted and published. I will continue to push her and the Government on that.

I wish to respond to what was said about people, especially children, waiting too long for care. There was a suggestion that we are aligned to World Health Organization standards. That should not be the case. That is just being honest. We can do better and we have to do better for the children of our country. My colleague Senator Nelson Murray spoke of her experience with her own children. That is the reality. I hope that this problem is not centred on certain parts of the country, such as disadvantaged areas, and that we do not have a postcode lottery in relation to this. All children are deserving of these vital check-ups. The longer they are left untreated, the more problems are stored up for themselves, for their families and for the HSE and dental services into the future.

I again thank the Minister of State and all of the Senators for their contributions. It was a good debate and it is an important issue. I know the Minister of State will continue to engage with his Department officials, whom he brought along today, and they will bring these issues back to the Minister, Deputy Carroll MacNeill, as well.