Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent)
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1984.To ask the Minister for Health if an agreement has been reached with dentists with a view to providing dental services for medical card holders as currently many people on low incomes are not able to access dentists due to the current impasse; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30974/24]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The Dental Treatment Services Scheme (DTSS) provides dental care, free of charge, to medical card holders aged 16 and over. On foot of a meeting between myself and the Irish Dental Association (IDA) in November 2020, officials in my Department engaged with the IDA to discuss and agree a package of measures introduced from 1 May 2022, to expand the Dental Treatment Services Scheme (DTSS) for adult medical card holders and increase the fees paid to contractors for most treatment items by 40-60%. These measures have improved access to care, with 154,864 additional treatments provided and over 26,700 extra patients treated in 2023 when compared with 2022.

Where access to a DTSS dentist is difficult, local HSE services assist patients to access a dentist. In exceptional circumstances, where emergency treatment is required, the HSE can directly contact private contractors or arrange treatment to be provided by HSE-employed dentists.

In the longer term, the Government is committed to reforming dental services, including the DTSS, through the implementation of the National Oral Health Policy (NOHP), Smile Agus Sláinte. The aim of the policy is to develop a model of care that will enable preventative approaches to be prioritised, improve access, and support interventions appropriate to current and future oral health needs.

As part of ongoing engagement with the Irish Dental Association (IDA), officials from my Department met with IDA representatives most recently on Friday 12th April 2024 to facilitate the IDA to present its recent position paper and to discuss the implementation of the National Oral Health Policy. An implementation plan for the 2024-2026 phase of rollout of the Policy is being drafted by my Department and the HSE for consultation and subsequent publication in the third quarter of this year.

The HSE is committed to the design and development of packages of expanded preventative care, and will consult with the profession this year on this draft design, as the first phase of reform of the DTSS.

Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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1985.To ask the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 205 of 20 June 2024, to clarify a matter (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30978/24]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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Under the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013, the HSE has statutory responsibility for decisions on the pricing and reimbursement of medicines; therefore, the matter has been referred to the HSE for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.