School children in Waterford must wait 54 months for their Second Class and Sixth Class dental check-ups.
In one of the strongest condemnations of the situation, Cllr. Pat Fitzgerald, Sinn Féin, referred to the 54 months waiting time in Waterford City and the 48 months waiting time in West Waterford, as “almost third world country figures,” which he said was “totally out of order.”
Waterford Councillor Joeanne Bailey brought a motion to the March Plenary meeting asking the CEO to write to the Minister of Health to urgently address the issue.
Figures released to Deputy David Cullinane, and available through the HSE, state that there were a total of 2,445 children in Waterford on the waiting list for their Second Class and Sixth Class check-ups in the 2021/22 school year. By the 2025/26 school year this figure had risen to 3,800.
“This motion speaks for itself,” said Cllr. Bailey.
“The wait time for dental care in Waterford is too long. I was shocked to hear that children who were eligible for their dental screening in 2021/22 are only being called now.
“I have child in second class this year and if there isn’t action, he and his friends will not be called for their check until 2031,” explained Cllr. Bailey. “That means they will be in first year of secondary school receiving their 2nd class assessment.”
“More needs to be done to address this issue, parents of young children deserve better. After speaking with many parents around their children’s dental needs and their wait times it is clear that people want a plan, they want to know that the minister of health is taking the issue seriously and that something will be done to relieve the pressure and ensure that all children are provided vital dental care.”
Cllr. Bailey’s motion sought the council to call on the Minister for Health “to urgently address these unacceptable delays by publishing a time-bound plan to reduce waiting lists for public dental services in County Waterford, including clear maximum waiting-time targets, by providing additional resources to the HSE Primary Care Dental Service in Waterford to clear existing backlogs, by implementing a properly funded workforce plan to recruit and retain public dentists and support staff, by restoring on-time school dental screening for 2nd and 6th class pupils, and by ensuring permanent and adequate capacity for special needs dental services, including treatment under general anaesthetic”.
‘Third World’
This motion drew widespread agreement from the chamber, with Councillors Eamon Quinlan and Thomas Phelan saying the discussion gave them “flashbacks” of their childhood experiences.
Cllr. Quinlan also asked that the original motion be amended to add in a request that Mayor Seamus Ryan write to the Health Department on behalf of the Council.
Figures released to TD Cullinane also state “The current waiting list for Special Needs General Anaesthesia comprises 45 service users (with five of these scheduled in February 2026).”
Cllr. Catherine Burke commented that children with special needs can often be particularly affected by the issues in the dental system.
“I work with primary school children every day and I see the delays in this system, in particular the system for children with special needs, because a lot of the time when they are undergoing dental treatment they have to be put under sedation and it is really important our dental services become better and more efficient,” said Cllr. Burke.
Cllr. Mary Roche also commended Cllr. Bailey on the motion, while questioning why Waterford always seemed to lag behind in terms of crucial services.
“I don’t know why it is that Waterford always seems to behind the curve in terms of the amount of provision, not just in this but also in terms of physio-therapy that’s available in the Primary Care in the city,” she said.
“I do remember bringing my own granddaughter to her dental appointment in secondary school, it is an absolute fact that the children are not being seen on time and that leads to delays down the line.
“It is just not acceptable the way that whole service is being run at the moment. It needs to be seriously improved,” Cllr. Roche added.
AARON KENT
Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme
