Pauline Tully (Sinn Fein)

Our public dental service is basically not functioning, or functioning to a very low standard. In 2006, there were 330 dentists working within the public dental service. Last year, there were 253. Considering that the population has increased by about 1 million, it tells the story that children are not getting the check-ups they should be getting throughout primary school. They should be getting three check-ups, in second, fourth and sixth class, but many are not getting any or only getting one, or it could be into secondary school. It is in primary school that they need to learn the preventative measures to ensure they do not develop tooth decay and gum disease.

Some 104,000 children - 50% - missed out on a dental appointment in 2023. I do not have the figures for 2024, but it was something similar in 2022 as well. It is due to insufficient staff. There are 22 posts unfilled at the moment. The Irish Dental Association has been calling on the Government to rebuild the dental service and to immediately recruit 120 dentists. If we were to look at it and assess it properly, we would probably need even more dentists than that. I would say we need more than 400 dentists to address the concerns of the population as it stands.

The HSE recruitment moratorium has affected dentists more so than any other grade. There has been a 23% decrease in the number of dentists recruited. The numbers of doctors, nurses, etc., have increased, even though we still need more in the system. The number has actually decreased for the dental service. Numerous posts have disappeared under the pay and numbers strategy.

Regarding medical card services for adults, in 2009 the budget being spent on this was €86.8 million. It is €20 million less than it was a number of years ago. Due to our population increase and the increase in the costs of all these services, it stands to reason that people are not getting the service they deserve. Fewer people are being seen. Approximately 50% of the dentists on that scheme have pulled out. That is partly to do with funding but many would say it is to do with the contract and the bureaucracy involved in the contracts. Even if the money was increased, many would not go back in under that contract. We are seeing many people with medical cards unable to access dental care because they cannot afford to pay for it privately.

There are thousands waiting on orthodontic services. Most are of them are children, but some of them are adults who were not seen as children. They have become adults and still require the service but have not been able to access it due to years-long waiting lists. As my colleague mentioned, people who require general anaesthetic for dental surgery are waiting possibly years. It is again down to a lack of trained personnel to provide this service.

Autistic children have sensory issues around having their teeth seen to by a dentist, so we need a number of specialised dentists who can address that. Recently, a constituent contacted me about a young man of around 30 years of age whose teeth are in a shocking state of disrepair. He is autistic and has not gone to a dentist because he cannot stand anything being put into his mouth. His teeth are now so bad that he will require implants, which will cost a huge amount of money he does not have. She was talking to me about how we get support for this young man to get his teeth seen to. It was causing him such distress that he was suicidal because of the state of his teeth.

There are many issues here that need to be dealt with. There is nothing in the motion I disagree with. We just need to see it implemented.