Dental Services
Seanad Éireann — 2026-09-22
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Marian Harkin (IND), Sligo-Leitrim

I have listened to and taken on board the points the Senator raised, including on early intervention, keeping people healthier and, which was her core point, the need for some kind of core funding solution for the Dental Health Foundation. I assure her that improving access to oral health promotion and prevention services is a priority for the Minister for Health and her Department. I restate my recognition of the important work carried out by the foundation as part of its function as secretariat to the expert body on fluorides and health. The foundation played a key role in assisting the Minister for Health in discharging the duty to monitor the health of the population receiving fluoridated water.
The HSE has responsibility for managing oral health promotion and prevention services. As I outlined, that includes the Supporting Smiles initiative, support for patients in residential homes and an upcoming initiative on oral health promotion in early childhood, which is currently in development. The oral health action plan reflects the importance of health promotion and disease prevention. The Minister is carefully considering that plan. I will convey directly to her the points the Senator raised today.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/seanad/2026-09-22/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-09-28T05:50:49+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-09-22