The dental treatment scheme is on the verge of collapse right across the State. I raised this with the Taoiseach previously and nothing seems to have happened. All medical card holders, including people with cancer, kidney transplant patients and people with diabetes, have no access whatsoever to dental treatment. Dentists are leaving the scheme in their droves because funding for the scheme has not increased in almost 15 years. Some 80% of medical card holders right across the State have no access to dental treatment, and that has been going on for almost a year. At what stage will the Taoiseach treat this as a priority? What is the Government doing to resolve this and how long will it keep these people waiting for access to dental treatment?

The Minister for Health and the Department of Health are engaging with the representatives of dentists throughout the country on this issue. There have been ongoing issues, but resources have been provided. These are essentially contractual issues that have to be resolved.