I am being contacted by so many medical card holders who simply cannot access dentists. When I contact the HSE about which dentists are providing services to medical card holders, I am told there are 30 dentists in Galway city and 11 in County Galway, but that is just not the case. What is the update on that? When can we expect medical card holders to be able to access that dental service? I have dealt with a woman who needed a tooth removed and was in massive pain but just could not find anybody. It is really an urgent issue.

I thank the Deputy for raising this issue on an ongoing basis. We have done a lot of work since she and I last discussed it. The fees paid to dentists have increased by about 50%, as she and I have discussed previously, and at this point I really would like to see dentists provide services to medical card holders under the existing scheme. I have taken a look at, and am happy to share with Deputies, the amount the Government is paying versus other countries in western Europe, and at the incomes that are coming in. We compare favourably in terms of the sums we pay to dentists to do State-supported work, such as provide services to medical card holders. There needs to be an ongoing conversation. There is an ongoing discussion with the Irish Dental Association on reform of this scheme, which is required, but Ireland's fee rates, now that we have raised them by 50%, compare favourably. I know dentists can make more money from private work and that is what is happening here, but I do believe dentists should be engaging in that scheme to the greatest extent possible and treating exactly the kinds of people the Deputy is talking about.