I thank the Deputy. This is a very serious issue for children who are waiting for public dental assessment in the Deputy's county of Monaghan. The HSE oral healthcare service aims to provide an oral examination and necessary treatment for children between second and sixth class and, in some cases, fourth class. Emergency care is provided for children of all ages up to 16 and for those with complex and additional needs. Due to the nature of the oral health examination programme, it does not meet the usual definition of a formal waiting list. However, children are deemed eligible on 1 September when they commence the relevant academic year. The Department of Health engages with the HSE on an ongoing basis to understand and address any challenges arising in the provision of public oral healthcare services. The Minister for Health is aware that there are backlogs in the HSE’s child oral health examination programme which has meant that sixth class groups are being prioritised. Currently, capacity in the Cavan-Monaghan area is impacted by maternity leave which is reducing service provision. I take into account what the Deputy has said about the children over the last year who have not had a check-up. She can be assured that it will go back to the Department and the Minister for Health, Deputy Carroll MacNeill. The public dental service in Monaghan is currently targeting children in the 2023-24 academic year, 65% of whom have received assessments. There are 832 consents received from parents for children in the 2024-25 academic year who are waiting for appointments. So far in 2025, 425 sixth class targeted assessments have been completed in the Cavan-Monaghan area. The Government acknowledges that more needs to be done to ensure these children can access their examination appointment. Building on investment of over €230 million per year in public oral healthcare services, an additional €2 million was awarded in budget 2025 to recruit 15 additional oral healthcare WTEs nationally. The Deputy is right that one of the biggest issues is recruitment. As she said, there may be staff out on maternity leave or there could be vacancies. That is an issue and a challenge for us. The good news for us is that there was funding in budget 2025 to recruit 15 additional oral healthcare WTEs nationally. In the longer term, the Minister recognises that oral healthcare needs to be modernised in line with best international evidence and practice, as set out in the national oral health policy, Smile agus Sláinte. The €2 million budget 2025 investment will increase to €4 million in 2026. This supports the delivery of a three-year implementation plan for the policy, which is currently being finalised for publication by the Department of Health and the HSE. Service reform is vital to improve access to services in the long term, to ensure care is accessible from birth and is prevention based. The policy also highlights the need for strategic workforce planning to ensure a sufficient number of appropriately trained oral healthcare professionals, to include dentists, dental hygienists, dental nurses and other auxiliary grades. The Department of Health will continue to work with the HSE to continue to address any challenges arising in the provision of oral healthcare services and ensure the implementation of necessary reforms.

Sentiment score: 0.22

I have taken the Deputy's points on board. She also spoke about Cavan, which was the one over the one-year period. I will bring that back to the Minister. The Government is committed to addressing immediate difficulties patients are experiencing in accessing oral healthcare services as well as fundamentally reforming dental services through the implementation of the Smile agus Sláinte programme. The two key goals of the policy are to provide supports to enable every individual to achieve their personal best oral healthcare and to reduce oral health inequalities across the population by enabling vulnerable groups to access oral healthcare and improve their oral health. I can assure the Deputy that these are priorities for the Government. I do see the frustration. I am a mother and now have grandchildren so I know how important early access to oral healthcare is. Dental services are so important for us. I am very mindful of that. The implementation plan will be published and will set out intended milestones and timing for the first phase and reform of the service for adults and children will be among the initial priorities. I am confident that by working together across relevant Department agencies and other stakeholders in line with their respective roles and responsibilities, the goals of the policies will be met to benefit children nationally and in the county of Monaghan. I thank the Deputy for raising a really important issue. I can assure her that the Government is committed to working on this.

Sentiment score: 0.27

I thank the Deputy for raising this very important issue. The national drugs strategy, Reducing Harm Supporting Recovery, sets out the Government’s strategy to address the harm caused by substance misuse in Ireland up to 2025. Work is ongoing in the development of a successor strategy. We are working on that and it is to do with everybody. I am making sure that everybody is involved in it. I am keenly aware that drug and alcohol task forces play a key role in implementing the national drugs strategy at the local level. They assess the extent and nature of the drug problem and initiate appropriate responses, so there is a co-ordinated approach involving all sectors to the problem of substance use in local communities and local communities are consulted in the design and delivery of services. I am very much aware of the work of the task forces and I can assure the Deputy that they will be very much involved in every part of our strategy. I compliment them on the great work they do. Officials in my Department have regular engagement with key representatives from the task force network. This presents an opportunity to discuss policy and operational issues affecting task forces and to hear first-hand about issues of concern in local communities. We really know the role they play and are very appreciative of the work they do and the information they give us. This informs decision-making relating to the allocation of funding and provision of services. The Department allocated €161 million under the national drugs strategy in 2023. This represents an increase of 28% on 2017 funding levels at the start of the outgoing strategy so there has been an increase. In accordance with a population-based allocation model, all new funding for drug services is distributed under the remit of the HSE health regions with service priorities to be identified in consultation with relevant stakeholders, including drug and alcohol task forces. The Department and the HSE provide approximately €28 million in funding to the 24 drug and alcohol task forces. I have met most of the chairs and am working with them because the Department and I appreciate the work they are doing. This funding provides for the operation of approximately 280 drug and alcohol projects across the country. I remain committed to the strategic priority from the outgoing national drugs strategy to enhance access to and delivery of drug and alcohol services in the community. I am delighted that budgets 2024 and 2025 allocated a total of €10.2 million in new recurring funding for drug services. In 2024, an additional €2.3 million was provided for community-based services, including €1.5 million to sustain existing services and €0.8 million to support the recovery of people from drug dependency and their integration into everyday life. Recently, I announced details of a further €1.89 million for community-based drug services in 2025 to be distributed through the health regions. This would be through the community services enhancement fund. The money will be used to improve access to services in unserviced communities, to promote evidence-based innovations in service design and delivery and to enhance services for people who use stimulant drugs. I have encouraged task forces to apply for this funding. I will be working with all the task forces to apply for this funding. I am fully committed to the provision of drug and alcohol treatment services.

Sentiment score: 0.25

I am very much aware of the excellent work the task forces do. They are very much part of what we see when we look at what services are needed within the communities. The Department and I are working with the HSE to include the 24 task forces in everything. We have an all-together group. All of us working together is not about being excluded. I am making sure everyone is included. Anything to do with drugs and families is a huge concern to me in the sense that we are talking about people's lives here. I can assure the Deputy that everybody will be included.

Sentiment score: 0.23

I will be working with the different groups. The reference group has been set up, but I will continue to meet the chairs of the task forces. This needs to go back to the task force groups that the Deputy is working with. I can assure the Deputy that I appreciate the work they do. Auto-enrolment is a whole-of-government approach, working through the Department. It is something the Department is working on. There have been no cuts to funding within my own sector. We got an increase this year. I launched DRIVE recently. I am so proud of the work it does. As the Deputy said, in Whitechurch 75 families were able to access this. I have made this a priority. I will look into the issue with DRIVE in the Whitechurch area. I say "well done" to those who have done all the work to ensure 75 families have been getting help and support. That is what I am here to do. The Department and I are here to make sure we have those services for our vulnerable families that need that support. As I said, I will come back to the Deputy on that. I assure the Deputy that the new drug strategy is a key priority for me and the Government. I am very mindful that drugs are not just a Dublin issue. Drugs are also a rural issue. This is an issue all around Ireland. With the great work that the 24 task forces do, I have to make sure I look at all services around the country to make sure that the families in need get assistance. I thank the Deputy again for raising this really important issue.

Sentiment score: 0.18