Friday, December 10, 1999

Fluoridation issue
begins to bite

A group set up in Sligo to oppose the fluoridation of water is holding a march through the town tomorrow. However, the principal dental surgeon with the North Western Health Board, Dr Joe Mullen, has accused the campaigners of giving "misleading" information to the public.

The newly-formed Sligo Action Against Flouride (SAAF) has been running a campaign which involves public meetings, protesting at health board premises and going on local radio to argue that Irish people are being denied their democratic rights by not getting a choice regarding fluoridation.

One public representative, Labour's Mr Declan Bree, supports the campaign. He has called on the county manager to seek the views of the health board and the Department of the Environment.

The co-ordinator of SAAF, Mr Krzysztof Zurek, said they were determined to escalate the campaign. They would be making a presentation to Sligo Corporation and Sligo County Council in January or February.

Dr Mullen said he did not blame the public for getting alarmed given the "misleading" information being put out by campaigners.

He said dentists relied on research from the most respected sources, such as the teaching universities, the WHO and the Centre for Disease Control and fluoride was "absolutely harmless" in the amounts put into the Irish water supply. It led to dramatic improvements in dental health.