Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 26 May 2004
103 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Health and Children when he intends to act on the recommendations contained in the fluoridation forum’s report; if he intends to appoint individuals who have anti-fluoridation views as part of the review body; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15723/04]
View answerI established the forum on fluoridation to review the fluoridation of public piped water supplies in Ireland. The forum report's main conclusion was that the fluoridation of public piped water supplies should continue as a public health measure.
The forum also concluded that: water fluoridation has been very effective in improving the oral health of the Irish population, especially of children, but also of adults and the elderly; the best available and most reliable scientific evidence indicates that at the maximum permitted level of fluoride in drinking water at one part per million, human health is not adversely affected; dental fluorosis, a form of discolouration of the tooth enamel, is a well recognised condition and an indicator of overall fluoride absorption, whether from natural sources, fluoridated water or from the inappropriate use of fluoride toothpaste at a young age. There is evidence that the prevalence of dental fluorosis is increasing in Ireland.
In all, the report of the fluoridation forum made 33 recommendations covering a broad range of topics such as research, public awareness and policy and technical aspects of fluoridation. The expert body that was recommended by the forum has been established. The chairperson of the expert body is Dr. Seamus O'Hickey, former chief dental officer with my Department. Dr. O'Hickey's mix of scientific knowledge, awareness of fluoridation issues and experience of administrative issues leave him well placed to chair the body. The expert body, to be known as the Irish expert body on fluorides and health, held its inaugural meeting in April last.
The terms of reference of the expert body are: to oversee the implementation of the recommendations of the forum on fluoridation; to advise the Minister and evaluate ongoing research, including new emerging issues, on all aspects of fluoride and its delivery methods as an established health technology and as required; to report to the Minister on matters of concern at his/her request or on own initiative.
The expert body has broad representation, including from the areas of public health medicine, engineering, management, environmental protection, environmental health, dentistry and health promotion. The body will have a strong consumer input in terms of members of the public and representatives of consumer interests, in addition to the necessary scientific, managerial and public health inputs. This diversity of backgrounds will enable the expert body to carry out its work effectively. The membership reflects the skills and experience of the members of the expert body rather than their personal views on the issues of water fluoridation, as is appropriate to such a body.
The secretariat of the body is the Irish Dental Health Foundation, an independent charitable trust which has been to the fore in securing co-operation between private and public dentistry and the oral health care industry for joint oral health promotion initiatives. The foundation's stature and expertise place it in an excellent position to support the work of the forum in its initial stage. The forum's report envisages that the work of the expert body may be subsumed into the health information quality authority in due course.
