Minutes of proceedings of the Plenary Meeting of the Irish Expert Body on Fluorides and Health held in the Alexander Hotel, Dublin 2 on Wednesday, 24th November 2004

Present:	Dr Seamus O’Hickey (Chairman), Dr Wayne Anderson, Dr Paul Beirne, Councillor Jack Bourke, Professor John Clarkson, Mr Enda Falvey, Dr Gerard Gavin, Mr Denis Lyons, Mr Stephen McDermott, Mr Greg Canning (for Mr David Moloney), Dr Joe Mullen, Dr Brian O’Herlihy, Professor Denis O’Mullane, Mr Darragh Page, Mr Ray Parle, Mr Rowland Reece

In attendance:  Ms. Deirdre Sadlier, Ms. Patricia Gilsenan, Secretariat

Absent:	Professor William Binchy

Apologies:	Mr Oliver Fogarty, Ms Dorothy Gallagher, Ms Ursula O Dwyer, Ms Biddy O’Neill, Ms Martina Queally, Mr Matt Twomey, 

Matters Arising from the Minutes:

None.

Minutes of the Meeting: 29/11/2004

Minute 1 Agenda Item 3 

The correspondence* circulated the Expert Body members was discussed as follows:

*(Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children. Letter of response from Tara Wharton, Secretary to the Committee to Shane Devine, Department of Health and Children which was subsequently forwarded to the Chairman of the Expert Body for his attention.)

The meeting was reminded that Professor O’ Mullane and Dr Mullen had accepted the responsibility of preparing for Expert Body’s presentation before the *JOCHC (EB minute 3 29/09/04)(item 4 refers)

Minute 2 Agenda Item 4:

Dr Mullen and Professor O’Mullane provided an overview to the meeting of the main issues raised in Professor Paul Connett’s presentation to the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children. A response to the document entitled “50 Reasons to oppose water fluoridation” is being prepared by the Oral Health Service Research Centre, UCC. It was agreed that the 
Secretariat would request a copy of this critique document when it is available from the Department of Health and Children.

Dr Mullen and Professor O’Mullane advised the meeting that the presentation to the Oireachtas Committee would require Expert Body members with expertise in dentistry, toxicology, epidemiology and pubic health.  Additionally, consideration needs to be given to the fact that unforeseen questions may be asked on the day of the presentation.

The meeting reiterated that it was important that the same facilities that were accorded to Professor Connett should be accorded to the Expert Body in its planned presentation to the Joint Oireachtas Committee.  The Secretariat will seek clarification on the procedures for presenting before the Committee. 

The experience of some members of the Forum on Fluoridation (2002) who presented to the Committee in July 2003 (and are now Expert Body members) was discussed. The Secretariat proposed the circulation of the transcript of the hearing to Expert Body members for information. It was also proposed that a video of the proceeding might be available for information.

Dr Mullen informed the meeting that the Irish Medical News had recently carried a series of articleson fluoridation. The Secretariat agreed to circulate this particular set of correspondence to the members for their information.

Minute 3: Agenda Item 5: Business Plan:

The meeting was informed that the Secretariat had received a 52% response rate from Expert Body members.  Responses received have been incorporated into the Business Plan.  Areas of strong common agreement incorporated into the Plan are as follows

•	The role and priorities for the Expert Body

•	Three high level themes, Quality Assurance, Communications/Public Health/Health Promotion and New and Emerging Issues will be addressed through the sub-committee structure.

•	Completion of the detailed business plan is to be carried by the sub committees. This will include prioritisation of the annual work programmes and identification of associated costs.

The Business Plan is subject to revision on an ongoing basis.

It was agreed that the Secretariat should recruit additional staff in line with the human resource requirements set out on pages 7 and 8 of the Business Plan.

Resource requirements for the Secretariat and the need for an indicative budget for 2005 and beyond will require direct discussion with the Department of Health and Children. 

The Secretariat confirmed to the meeting that the sub-committees have the option to co-opt a maximum of 2 non Expert Body members at any one time.  (As detailed on page 42 of the Business Plan which outlines the Expert Body’s governance).

It was agreed that the sub-committees roles are to report back on their work in progress through their nominees at plenary meetings.  Final decisions for specific actions rest with the Plenary Body.

The Chairman moved to have the Business Plan adopted.  This was proposed by Dr O’Herlihy and seconded by Dr Gavin and carried unanimously

Minute 4: Agenda Item 5: Matters Arising:

The Chairman referred to the inaugural meeting of the Quality Assurance Sub-Committee and informed the Expert Body that Mr Moloney, as designated Chair of the Sub-Committee had invited Mr McDermott to join it.  It was further decided at this Sub-Committee’s meeting that Mr McDermott should undertake the role of Chairman.  The Expert Body unanimously supported this appointment.

The Chairman moved to establish the Communications/Public Health/Health Promotion and New and Emerging Issues Sub-Committees.  Dr O’Hickey suggested that each Expert Body member should only be appointed to one Sub-Committee if possible, but would be free to attend other Sub-Committee meetings if desired.

The members of the Communication, Public Health/Health Promotion Sub-Committee are:
Dr Paul Beirne, Cllr Jack Bourke, Dr Gerry Gavin, Mr Denis Lyons and Ms Dorothy Gallagher

The members of the New and Emerging Issues Sub-Committee are:
Professor Denis O’Mullane, Professor John Clarkson, Dr Joe Mullen, Mr Rowland Reece and 
Dr Brian O’Herlihy.

Dr Mullen said that as Mr McDermott was now serving on the Quality Assurance Sub-Committee that he himself would no longer serve on this Sub-Committee and would serve on the New and Emerging Issues Sub-Committee instead.  This was agreeable to all Expert Body members.

When the Chair of a Sub-Committee has been decided by its members this decision will need to be endorsed by an Expert Body Plenary meeting.

It was agreed that those Expert Body members not in attendance will be contacted by the Secretariat to advise on which Sub-Committee they wish to serve.

It was agreed that the Director of the Secretariat should act a convenor for the inaugural sub committees meetings (NEI and C/PH/HP) to seek agreement on meeting dates, and prepare draft agendas and papers. 

Minute 5: Agenda Item 6:

The Chair of the QA Sub Committee, Mr Mc Dermott gave a brief report.  The Sub-Committee inaugural meeting was held on 12th November 2004. It reviewed its role and responsibility in line with the Business Plan (Final draft).

It was agreed that the most immediate resource requirement was the recruitment of a project officer with a quality assurance background to support the extensive workload associated the implementation of the Sub-Committee’s responsibilities. 

A draft report on ‘An Evaluation of the Delivery and Monitoring of Water Fluoridation in Ireland’ was tabled and presentations by its authors, Professor Clarkson and Dr McLoughlin, Senior Lecturer in Public Dental Health (TCD) will be arranged.  Following which, the Sub-Committee will provide a summary report to the next Expert Body Plenary meeting.

It was also noted that copies of this report will be made available to the Expert Body members when it is published. 

Minute 6: Agenda Item 7: Any Other Business:

Professor O’Mullane informed the meeting that the Use of Fluorides Report currently with the Department of Health and Children will be an important document for full consideration by the Expert Body. 

The Mighty Mouth Schools Programme was tabled by the Secretariat for members’ information.  A letter requesting a photo call to launch the programme has been sent to the Department of Health and Children, November 2004 and a reply is awaited.

The schedule of proposed dates for the 2005 plenary meetings of the Expert Body was agreed. Members not in attendance will be notified by post of these dates.

Minute 7:

The next Expert Body Plenary meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, 23rd February 2005 commencing at 10:30am.  The venue will be the Davenport Hotel, Merrion Square, Dublin 2.

The Chairman declared the meeting closed and thanked those present for their attendance.

Signed:	______________________________

Date: 		______________________________