Dental Services
Seanad Éireann — 2025-10-14
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Alison Comyn (FF), Nominated by the Taoiseach

I thank the Minister of State for her detailed response. It is good to see that it is being noted and looked at, and that there is provision. From my point of view, I hear from people who are suffering and have been for the past couple of years. What can happen in an implementation plan is different from what is on the ground. The idea of it being prevention focused - on the root cause, if the Minister of State will pardon the pun - is the ideal scenario. That is not what is happening at the moment, which is that people are not being treated quickly enough. There is a misnomer that many dental surgeries are wheelchair accessible, but that does not mean that somebody can go and get treated there. I welcome the fact that there will be more investment next year and the following year. I would still like to see more of these beds being put into primary care centres, not just to allow a wheelchair to be tilted but also in order that people can be treated with dignity on a bed or in a hospital of their choosing. I thank the Minister of State for that.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/seanad/2025-10-14/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:54:13+00:00
Sitting date: 2025-10-14