HSE did not seek to fill dental posts, Dail hears

Concern for the future of the community dental services in Meath was expressed this week with the news that the HSE had not sought permission to fill vacant posts within the service. Dental services for children in Meath have been reduced to emergency treatments only, following the closure of the dental clinics in Trim and Enfield, which has met with a furious reaction from parents and public representatives. In response to a Dail question by Deputy Damien English last week, Health Minister Mary Harney said she had not received an application from the HSE looking for permission to fill vacant posts in the county. According to a statement issued by HSE two weeks ago, the clinics had to be suspended temporarily due to a shortage of dentists as four out of the seven dentists posts were vacant. Deputy English reiterated his concerns for the services in Meath following his Dail question last week. "The closure of the clinics came as a result of the HSE being unable to fill four dental surgeon vacancies that have arisen due to the Government's moratorium policy on employing staff," he said. Deputy English asked the minister if she had received applications from the HSE to approve the filling of dental surgeon vacancies in Meath, when she would make a decision on this matter and if she would approve the posts to be filled. "Surprisingly, the minister's reply to me was that her Department had not received an application for an exception to the moratorium for the filling of the posts. I would now urge that whatever is holding up this request to the minister at HSE level be thrown to one side so that a normal community dental service can be restored in Meath and that the clinics that are temporarily closed will be reopened as a matter of urgency," he said. Angry parents discovered earlier this month that they could not make appointments for routine dental treatments for their children and the school screening programme had also been suspended. While the Trim and Enfield denal clinics closed three weeks ago, the public dental clinics in Ashbourne, Dunshaughlin and Dunboyne have been suspended since August. A spokesperson for the HSE said this week that there were four dental surgeon positions currently vacant in Meath, which was significant in the context of a total complement of seven. "Under the Government moratorium on recruitment and promotions in the public service, prior sanction is required to fill these posts. Currently, the HSE Dublin North-East is progressing with the necessary steps required to fill these posts in a permanent capacity," she said.