National oral health policy
Deputy O'Reilly asked when the dental health package and national oral health policy would be completed and published, citing cancelled children's checks. The Tánaiste said the Minister for Health was committed to delivering it, but the Deputy insisted on a date and the Chair sought to bring the exchange back to promised legislation.
Page 55 of the programme for Government commits the Government to the introduction of a dental health package to enhance existing checks and to include a comprehensive preventative dental health programme. Children in my constituency are having the checks that are supposed to be in place already cancelled and deferred. Will the Tánaiste indicate when the national oral health policy will be completed and published? What can the Tánaiste say to those children who are not even getting the basics? When are they going to get this enhanced package?
Comment on this
The Minister for Health is committed to delivering that. Initiatives are being taken as well to ensure that under PRSI more people will be eligible for dental benefit.
There is the policy from the Department of Health on which the Minister, Deputy Harris, is working and which will be delivered, and there is also the commitment from the Department of Social Protection to ensure that there will be greater access.
Comment on this
That is not what I asked. I asked about the date for the national oral health policy.