Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 9 July 2026
101. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Health to outline her plans to improve access to public dental services in County Meath, especially for school-aged children; if she will provide details of waiting lists and time for category four and five procedures in County Meath; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50875/26]
View answerOver 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.
My Department and the HSE are finalising a focused two-year action plan to deliver real improvements on the ground. I expect to receive a final draft plan in the coming month.
I have instructed that the Plan 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
• Review and improve the Dental Treatment Services Scheme
• Support recruitment, education and training
• Support innovation and new ways of delivering care
For orthodontic care, Waiting List Action Plan initiatives have delivered results over recent years. Over €20 million has been invested to increase capacity via additional contracted orthodontic care, resulting in more than 5,500 removals from orthodontic waiting lists across the country since 2020.
Despite this, waiting lists remain far too high in some parts of the country, including the Dublin and Northeast Health Region which includes Meath.
A Consultant Orthodontic Post for Louth/Meath has been vacant since 2022 with previous efforts to fill it being unsuccessful. However, I have been informed that a suitable candidate has been recruited and is due to commence in the role in Quarter 4 2026.
• There are currently 2,867 patients awaiting access to public dental services in County Meath.
• Within the targeted school screening programme, the longest recorded interval to assessment and treatment currently stands at 40 weeks.
In response to service demand and in order to increase clinical capacity, a number of targeted measures have been implemented within the Meath dental service. These include
• the recent appointment of an additional 1.0 Whole-Time Equivalent (WTE) General Dental Surgeon, who commenced on 6th July 2026.
• the recruitment of a further 1.0 WTE General Dental Surgeon on a specified-purpose contract, due to commence on 13th July 2026.
These appointments will augment existing service capacity and support the progressive reduction of waiting times for assessment and treatment.
The HSE has also implemented an innovative cross-jurisdictional service model for the provision of standard paediatric dental treatment under general anaesthesia. This initiative has materially enhanced access to specialist services for children requiring treatment under general anaesthesia and has facilitated the complete elimination of the historical waiting list for standard paediatric dental general anaesthesia procedures.
Consequently, children requiring this intervention are currently accessing treatment within approximately three weeks of referral, representing a significant improvement in service responsiveness and in the timeliness of access to care.
