Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 24 June 2021
393. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Health the number of registered complaints and or litigations against dentists made by medical card holders and by non-medical card holders, respectively in each of the years 2017 to 2020, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26194/21]
View answerThe information sought by the Deputy is not held by my Department. The Dental Council, established under the Dentists Act 1985 is the regulatory body for the dental profession. The Dental Council deals with complaints concerning breaches of its Codes of Practice. The Dental Council publishes the results of Fitness to Practise Inquiries where allegations of professional misconduct against a dentist have been proven together with the sanctions imposed.
With regard to any complaints made to the HSE by medical card holders, this is an operational issue and therefore a matter for the HSE. However, members of the Oireachtas are advised that the HSE is currently unable to access the information to answer Parliamentary Questions due to the recent cyber-attack, which has required a temporary shut-down of HSE IT systems. The disruption to service is on-going, and the HSE is working hard to restore its IT capacity and resume normal services. Members of the Oireachtas will be advised as soon as the HSE is again in a position to provide responses to PQs and are encouraged to resubmit their Parliamentary Questions at that point.
