Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
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209. To ask the Minister for Health in view of the fact that his Department continue to keep the policy of water fluoridation in place despite serous health concerns regarding this policy, if there will be a specific working group set up to look at the matter of water fluoridation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14574/14]

Alex White (Dublin South, Labour)
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There are no plans to set up a specific working group on water fluoridation. The Department of Health keeps the policy of water fluoridation under constant review. As part of this ongoing work, a review of evidence on the impact of water fluoridation at its current level on the health of the population and on the environment is being conducted by the Health Research Board on behalf of the Department. This review is due to commence in April 2014 and will be completed by December 2014.

The Department is also collaborating in a University College Cork-led research project, "Fluoride and Caring for Children's Teeth" (FACCT). The study will consider the impact of changes on the oral health of children, following policy decisions relating to toothpaste use by infants and young children made in 2002 and the reduction in the level of fluoridation in drinking water introduced in 2007. In addition, a study on general and oral health findings in adults linked to the duration of exposure to fluoridated water as part of the Irish Longitudinal Study on Aging (TILDA) which has commenced its pilot phase.

The Forum on Fluoridation, established in 2000, reviewed the policy of water fluoridation and recommended in 2002 that it should continue as a public health measure. In 2011 a review by the European Union Scientific Committee on Health and Environmental Risk (SCHER) concluded that there are no known negative health implications from fluoridating water at levels used in the EU. The balance of scientific evidence worldwide confirms that water fluoridation, i.e. the adjustment of the natural concentration of fluoride in drinking water to the optimal recommended level for the prevention of dental caries, does not cause any ill effects and protects the oral health of the population.