Cobh Municipality are to write to the HSE requesting the reinstatement of its schools dental service from a 3 day to 5 day service.
At A recent municipal meeting Sinn Fein Councillor Kieran McCarthy told councillors that cuts to the schools dental service in Cobh have caused a major backlog.
Currently there are 1700 pupils in Cobh that are being serviced by this facility.
“The Cobh service which was once part of the North Lee HSE is now incorporated into South Lee. They have a new manager and he in his wisdom has decided Cobh should be cut back, and those that are not facilitated should go to Mahon for dental service. Midleton has roughly the same catchment area, Youghal has roughly the same catchment area and he has said he cannot send the dental hygienist here to Cobh two days a week. There are kids in 4th year and secondary and they have not been seen yet” he said.
The Sinn Fein Councillor added “there are a lot of families losing out because of this, they are not getting the treatment that they should have because their parents can’t afford it.
He says he won’t send the dental hygienist to Cobh because its too far away, yet he sends him to Youghal. It doesn’t make sense. The demand is there the children in Cobh are suffering. The facilities are there. The staff are willing to come in the extra days. It’s like the ambulance it’s like South Doc Cobh is always the one getting hammered here. I think we should write off to the HSE and demand we get this service back. ”
According to the HSE extra staff were provided to bring the waiting list down. That list is now under control they say. Anyone who can not attend the service in Cobh has the opportunity to attend the HSE clinic in Mahon.