Minutes of proceedings of the Plenary Meeting of the Irish Expert Body on Fluorides and Health held in the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland, No 6 Kildare Street, Dublin 2 on Wednesday, 27th September 2006

Present:	Dr Seamus O’Hickey (Chairman), Dr Brian O’Herlihy (Vice-Chair), Dr Wayne Anderson, Councillor Jack Bourke, Professor John Clarkson, Mr Michael Kilcoyne, Mr Denis Lyons, Mr Stephen McDermott, Dr Máire O’Connor, Professor Denis O’Mullane, Mr Darragh Page, Dr Margaret Shannon, Mr Rowland Reece, Dr Justin Roche

In attendance: 	Ms Deirdre Sadlier, Ms Patricia Gilsenan-O’Neill, Mr Tom Rogers, 
Ms Etain Kett, Secretariat

Apologies:	Mr Chris Fitzgerald, Mr Colm Keenan, Dr Joe Mullen, Ms Ursula O’Dwyer, Mr Ray Parle, Ms Martina Queally, Mr Matt Twomey, Mr Luke Varley

EB Minute 31/06:  Welcome to new members

The Chair welcomed the new members of the Expert Body; Mr Brian Brogan, Mr Michael Kilcoyne, Dr Máire O’Connor, Dr Justin Roche, Dr Margaret Shannon.  It was agreed that the new members will advise the Body if they wish to serve on any of the three Sub-committees.

The contribution of former Expert Body member, Dr Gerard Gavin, to the Body was noted by the Chairman.

EB Minute 32/06:  Apologies

Apologies for the meeting were noted.

EB Minute 33/06:  Minutes of the last meeting (14th June 2006)

These minutes were agreed and were then signed by the Chairman.

EB Minute 34/06:  Matters Arising

Professor O’Mullane provided a short oral report on the first meeting of the group established to develop evidence-based clinical practice guidelines for the Public Dental Service.  It was noted that Dr Carmel Parnell chaired the first meeting of the group which took place on 12th July last. (EB Minute 23/06 refers).

It was also noted that there has been no further update regarding changes being made at the European Parliament to the reference to fluoride from the Annex listing of draft regulation on the addition of vitamins and minerals and of certain other substances to foods.

It was agreed to consider formal communications with MEP’s.  This matter will be raised at the next Executive Meeting. (EB Minute 23/06 refers).

The Secretariat informed the meeting that they have requested information on the levels of sodium content in bottled water available to consumers in the ROI, and are currently awaiting feedback.  It was agreed that as Dr Anderson has a meeting pending with the Beverage Council of Ireland that he would be best placed to follow-up this request. (EB Minute 27/06 refers).

EB Minute 35/06:  Correspondence

The following two items of correspondence were noted:

1.	Department of Health and Children advising the Expert Body on the new membership of the Body. (Email correspondence Mr S Devine to Ms P Gilsenan-O’Neill 05/09/06, Ms E Barrett to Ms P Gilsenan-O’Neill 15/09/06 and 19/09/06 refers).  This item was dealt with under Item 1 of the Meetings Agenda (EB Minute 31/06 refers).

2.	Correspondence relating to Colgate/Irish Dental Association Oral Health Month and related items. (Correspondence between Expert Body, IDA and Colgate 05/01/06 to 26/09/06 refers).  This item was dealt with under Item 9 of the Meetings Agenda (EB Minute 39/06 refers).

EB Minute 36/06:  Update on the amendments to the Draft Fluoride Regulations

The meeting was advised that a Report on the Draft Regulations has been prepared by the DOH&C and will be submitted to the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children following feedback from the Attorney General’s Office.  It was further noted that the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government has provided a response to the Minister for Health and Children on the Draft Regulations.

EB Minute 37/06:  Report of the Sub-committees

The Quality Assurance Sub-committee reported the following:

•	It was noted that agreed amendments had been made to the Draft Code of Practice.  It was agreed that independent technical advise should be sought in anticipation of any problems that may arise.

•	The Draft Protocol for the Independent Testing of HFSA prepared by the QA Sub-committee, Public Analyst Laboratory and the Secretariat, has been sent out for consultation with the stakeholders and is currently under consideration by PCCC and Population Health Directorate of the Health Service Executive.

•	A tender is currently being prepared to progress the National Audit of Fluoridation Plants which may be announced by December 2006.

•	A briefing by the Secretariat on the visit by the Irish Expert Body on Fluorides and Health to Derivados del Fluor in Spain was given to the meeting.  The primary purpose of the visit was to assess the hydrofluosilicic acid manufacturing process and the systems and controls in place to ensure the consistency, purity and safety of the product as supplied for use in fluoridation of drinking water in Ireland.

The Communications/Public Health/Health Promotion Sub-committee reported the following:

•	It was agreed that it may be appropriate to address the membership deficit of the Sub-committee through the new Expert Body appointees.

•	The Expert Body was informed of a meeting with Ms Queally, Chair, C/PH/HP Sub-committee, Ms Sadlier, Director, Secretariat and the HSE Health Promotion Section of Population Health Directorate.  It was noted that the HSE has committed in principle, to the Expert Body’s Communication Strategy and see their role as that of influencing and delivering on the strategy and integrating it into the HSE Service Plans.

•	It was noted that the C/PH/HP Sub-committee is preparing a Communications Advisory Services Proposal.  Subject to the approval of the Expert Body, it will be put in place by December 2006.

•	It was agreed that baseline research may be required before commencement of the Communications Strategy.  A provisional questionnaire has been compiled and is under review by the Communications/Public Health/Health Promotion Sub-committee.  It was also agreed that this research will be commissioned in line with tender processes.  

•	The FSAI’s Report of the National Committee on Folic Acid Food Fortification was noted due to its mandatory nature.  Dr Anderson gave a briefing to the meeting on the Report.  

•	The meeting was informed that Dr Mary O’Farrell, a C/PH/HP co-opted Sub-committee member, made a presentation to the Sub-committee on ‘Oral Health Matters’, an Oral Health Promotion programme for children with special needs aged 0-6 years.  

•	A media monitoring report was given by the Secretariat.  

The New and Emerging Issues Sub-committee reported the following:

•	It was noted that Professor Chester Douglass has been cleared of any misconduct allegations.

•	It was agreed that the Expert Body will consider the findings of the Report of the National Children’s Oral Health Survey due for publication before the end of 2006.

•	The new guidelines on the use of topical fluorides (American Dental Association) and the use of Fluorides in Australia-Guidelines were noted.  

•	It was agreed that the Chair of NEI Sub-committee would seek observer status at the Council of European Chief Dental Officers meeting and provide feedback to the Expert Body. 

•	It was noted that the DOH&C is finalising its decision regarding the Expert Body recommendations for research to underpin planned amendments to the Fluoride Regulations.

EB Minute 38/06:  Report of Executive Committee

•	A written Report on the Executive Committee’s meeting with the DOH&C was tabled at the meeting.

EB Minute 39/06:  The Oral Health Care Industry 

•	It was noted that, following communication between the Expert Body, Irish Dental Association and Colgate-Palmolive, Colgate-Palmolive agreed that their toothpaste for 0-2 year olds will no longer be distributed in the Irish market as it is in direct conflict with public policy regarding the use of fluoride toothpaste for this age group.  

•	The European Academy of Paediatric Dentistry-Guidelines on the use of fluoride in Children were noted.

•	It was agreed that an Ad-hoc Committee be established to review issues and aspects of Recommendations 3 and 4 of the Forum on Fluoridation Report 2002.  It was agreed that stakeholders such as the HSE and Public Health Nurses were key in getting the correct information to parents/carers.  It was noted that the update and reprinting of the document ‘Oral Heath in Ireland’ published by the Dental Health Foundation in 1999 in collaboration with the Department of Health and Children and University College Cork would be a useful tool to inform the public health professionals on oral health matters.

•	It was agreed that the Ad-hoc Committee will report directly to the Communications/Public Health/Health Promotion Sub-committee.  Additionally, it was agreed that Professor O’Mullane will be the Chair of this Ad-hoc Committee.  It was further agreed that each Sub-committee will recommend which of their members should join this Committee.  Its terms of reference will be proposed by Professor O’Mullane at its inaugural meeting.

EB Minute 40/06:  Report on the Expert Body supported Symposium ‘Key Issues in Fluoride Research’ 

•	It was agreed that the presentations made at the Symposium will be made available to the Expert Body.  It was noted that the consensus from the speakers was that Ireland was a unique case due to water fluoridation legislation and demographics.
•	The Chairman thanked Professor Clarkson for his work in organising the Symposium.

EB Minute 41/06:  Expert Body Plenary Meeting 

The proposed schedule of 2007 Plenary Meeting dates was agreed and approved by the Expert Body.

The next Plenary Meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, 29th November 2006 commencing at 10:30am in the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland, No 6 Kildare Street, Dublin 2.

EB Minute 42/06:  AOB 

There was no further business to discuss.

The Chairman thanked all for their attendance and declared the meeting closed at 12:45pm.

Signed:	______________________________

Date: 		______________________________