I welcome the Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children, Deputy Moffatt, to the House to respond to this Adjournment matter which seeks to ensure that the Western Health Board's dental service con tinues to be available at Ballydangan in south Roscommon.
There is grave concern in the south Roscommon area about the provision of dental services. This problem is not confined to Ballydangan but applies to other health centres in south Roscommon, such as Ballyforan, Monksland and Brideswell. Strong representations were made to me about the position in Ballydangan by the parish priest, Bishop Cassidy, teachers and 300 parents.
Dental services were provided in Ballyforan and Ballydangan in the south Roscommon area when I was a child and the country was not as well off as it is today. It seems extraordinary that we do not have that level of service now. The Western Health Board could use the civic and commercial centre which was built in response to a significant increase in population in the Monksland area to provide health services, including dental services. There are 10,000 people living in this area. It is unacceptable that these services are only available in Roscommon town and other centres 40 miles away.
I am told there are difficulties recruiting dentists. However, that is not an adequate response to the people of south Roscommon. A pilot scheme was recently announced for this area. While that is a welcome development, it does not address the lack of dental services there. I was told this pilot scheme may be used by the health board to rationalise the dental services in south Roscommon so that they are only provided in one area, such as Monksland.
I raise this matter on the Adjournment because I want to bring the matter, which is being debated in the south Roscommon area, into the public domain. As a long standing public representative for that area, both at county council and national level, I am duty bound to raise it in the House. I ask the Minister to ensure that a comprehensive dental service is provided in the south Roscommon area. While I welcome the pilot scheme, it is not the answer for that area. If the dental rooms in the health centres in Ballyforan, Monksland and Brideswell are left idle, an entire section of a county will be left without dental services. We cannot neglect small rural communities at a time of great economic development.
I appreciate the involvement of the former Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Cowen, the new Minister, Deputy Martin, and the Minister of State, Deputy Moffatt, who has a great interest in the elderly. I compliment them for providing substantially increased resources for our health services. However, we must not neglect our dental services. It is important that the Minister of State, as the political head of the Department of Health and Children, indicates to the Western Health Board that the situation in the south Roscommon area is not acceptable. While the people welcome the pilot scheme, it is not a comprehensive service on which they can depend in the medium term.
The concerns of the people in south Roscommon must be addressed by the Western Health Board. If that means striking deals with private dental consultants, then that is what we must do. We should not confine ourselves to an antiquated system where qualified people are not prepared to work because of poor financial reward. Dentists want to make a living like those in other professions but they do not find health board positions financially attractive. Many of them are in remote areas away from population bases which offer opportunities to make money and the prospect of a better lifestyle. There is no point telling the public we cannot get people to work in these areas. We must make it attractive for them to do so. We must come to new arrangements with the dental profession and ensure that opportunities are provided by the Western Health Board. I do not know the facts but I presume similar difficulties would apply in other health board areas. The terms and conditions must be an inducement to people to work in this area. We should not allow ourselves to be tied into old agreements and understandings set down years ago by the Department of Health and Children. We are now in the 21st century and it may mean new agreements and forgetting old ways regarding the provision of vital services. We have a duty and responsibility to provide dental services in rural and urban areas.
I refer to a particular area, with a population of 10,000 people, the fastest growing area in south Roscommon. I have a responsibility to expose the lack of comprehensive dental services for the people of that area, including the children and the elderly. While I do not expect the Minister of State to be able to give me a definite answer or decision now or say that he can provide a dental service there, I ask him to bring this matter to the attention of the people who have the responsibility for providing it, namely the Western Health Board. If the Western Health Board in return is making or seeking new arrangements with his Department, I ask that his Department will consider the case I am making on behalf of those people.
