Ward’s concern over dental service in Ballyforan
The Cathaoirleach of Roscommon County Council has called for a dental service which has been withdrawn from Ballyforan to be restored.
Cllr. Tony Ward says that the dental service which has been available in Ballyforan for around 25 years ceased recently.
“The service was available every Wednesday and served a huge catchment area, especially when you take into account all the schools there are locally.
“There was no consultation whatsoever about this. The current dentist has retired and he hasn’t been replaced. There was no consultation with the local community. I want this service continued and I will be raising this issue as a matter of urgency at this month’s meeting of the HSE (West) Forum.”
Cllr. Ward said that the withdrawal of the service – “by stealth” – was yet another worrying example of rural decline.
“I’ve seen social welfare offices close, garda stations, post offices too…as a country we seem to keep closing services. These services were all put in place in an era when we really didn’t have resources…back in the 1950s and ‘60s, for example. Yet now we are withdrawing them. Another example, and something I’m working very actively to resist at the present time, is the ongoing cutting of home help hours.”
