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Water Fluoridation.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 22 June 2004

Tuesday, 22 June 2004

Questions (32)

Ciarán Cuffe

Question:

30 Mr. Cuffe asked the Minister for Health and Children when he will implement the recommendations contained in the fluoride forum report. [18477/04]

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Written answers

I established the forum to review the fluoridation of public piped water supplies here. The report's main conclusion is that the fluoridation 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; and 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 made 33 recommendations covering a broad range of topics such as research, public awareness, and policy and technical aspects of fluoridation. The expert body recommended by the forum has been established. Its chairperson is Dr. Seamus O'Hickey, former chief dental officer with my Department. His mix of scientific knowledge, awareness of fluoridation issues and experience of administrative issues leave him well placed to chair it. The expert body shall be known as the Irish expert body on fluorides and health and it held its inaugural meeting last April.

The terms of reference 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; and to report to the Minister on matters of concern at his request or on its own initiative.

The expert body has a broad representation, including areas of public health medicine, engineering, management, environmental protection, environmental health, dentistry and health promotion. It 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. It will also oversee the implementation of the forum's wide-ranging recommendations and will advise me on all aspects of fluoride in the future.

The secretariat of the body is the Irish Dental Health Foundation. It is an independent charitable trust that has been to the fore in securing co-operation between private and public dentistry and the oral health care industry on joint oral health promotion initiatives. The foundation's stature and expertise place it in an excellent position to support the forum's work 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.

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