3242. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Health if she will review the fees payable to dentists under the dental treatment services scheme (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [60847/26]

3247. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Health when the reimbursement rates payable under the dental treatment services scheme were last subject to a comprehensive cost review; whether that review considered increases in dental materials, laboratory charges, hygienist and other staffing costs and general practice overheads; whether a further cost analysis is currently underway; and when revised reimbursement rates will be introduced. [60870/26]

3248. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Health her views on whether the current reimbursement rates available under the dental treatment services scheme for the provision, adjustment and repair of dentures adequately reflect the actual laboratory and clinical costs incurred by dentists; when these rates were last reviewed; and whether she will consider increasing them as part of Budget 2027. [60873/26]

3249. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Health whether her Department or the HSE has examined whether the reimbursement structure under the dental treatment services scheme creates a financial disincentive to provide restorative treatment where the fee payable for a filling is comparable to that payable for an extraction, notwithstanding the differences in clinical time, materials and associated costs; and whether she will review the fee structure to ensure that it supports tooth preservation and appropriate preventative and restorative dental care. [60879/26]

3250. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Health whether she accepts that an entitlement to dental treatment under the medical card scheme is of limited practical value where patients cannot find a dentist participating in the dental treatment services scheme; the immediate measures she will take, pending wider reform of dental services, to prevent further dentists withdrawing from the scheme; whether enhanced reimbursement rates will be considered in Budget 2027; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [60882/26]

I propose to take Questions Nos. 3242, 3247, 3248, 3249 and 3250 together.

The Dental Treatment Services Scheme (DTSS) provides oral healthcare, free of charge, to medical card holders aged 16 and over. Services available annually and on demand include an examination including preventative elements, two fillings, extractions, and a scale and polish. More complex care, such as dentures, additional fillings and a broader range of treatments for patients with additional needs and high-risk patients, are available subject to the approval of the local HSE Principal Dental Surgeon.

A package of measures was introduced in 2022 to expand the care available under the Scheme and significantly increase the fees paid to contractors. These measures are having an impact, with access to care continuing to increase each year since they were introduced. In 2025, over 241,000 additional treatments were provided under the DTSS, supporting over 50,000 extra patients compared with 2022. Furthermore, as of August 2026, there are 864 contractors partaking in the DTSS which is an increase of 26 contractors compared to August 2025.

Fees paid to dentists for DTSS care are now aligned with other European countries which provide comparable public dental care, noting that many European countries, especially in the southern and eastern regions, don’t have any scheme in place for adults, which is free at point of access. However, I acknowledge that more needs to be done as the DTSS was designed in the 1990s in response to the identified oral healthcare needs of the time.

I recognise that patients are struggling to access oral healthcare and I am determined to ease this pressure. In practical terms, that means improving access through the public oral healthcare system—especially for children and medical card holders. My Department and the HSE are finalising a focused two-year action plan to deliver real improvements on the ground.

The plan will be driven by a dedicated governance group, with progress monitored closely and aligned to wider HSE and Department priorities. It will aim to respond to sustained service pressures, workforce constraints, and long waiting lists—particularly for children and for people with additional needs.

It will focus on a small number of clear priorities:

• Cut waiting lists in the School Dental Programme and orthodontics.

• Strengthen and expand the Special Access Programme.

• Reviewing and improving the Dental Treatment Services Scheme.

• Support recruitment, education and training.

• Support innovation and new ways of delivering care.

Over the next two years, the aim is to stabilise services, reduce waiting times, and make access measurably better for patients—while laying the groundwork for longer-term reform.

Recent engagements with for example, the Irish Dental Association, the Irish Dental Hygienists Association and the Dental Council have ranged from addressing waiting lists and delivering near term improvements to the schools program, to improving the supply of dental team members by exploring innovative ways of broadening the educational and training options for both hygienists and dental nurses. We will also be consulting with colleagues in DFHERIS on educational opportunities for both the current and future dental workforce.

My Department officials are currently engaging with HSE counterparts to finalise this action plan, with the aim of publishing it in the coming weeks.