Repeal the Health (fluoridation of water supplies) Act 1960

We the undersigned request the assistance of our three West Cork TD's in having the ongoing and outdated policy of nationally enforced Community Water Fluoridation brought to an end.

In recent years the National Effort has received the support of people and communities from all over the Country including in West Cork all of the former Town Councils of Bantry, Skibbereen, Clonakilty, Bandon, Kinsale and Macroom, over 20 business in Bantry, Clonakilty and elsewhere as well as over half the Country's County and City Councils including Cork County Council and Cork City Council.

We wish to raise the following concerns relating to the matter including;

- The issue of informed consent to medical treatment for a recognised human disease with a substance that continues to be indiscriminately delivered to the general population through the country's public water supplies and by default, the national food chain

- Our concern that two of the primary principles relevant to the administration of a medicine including “first do no harm” and “dose control” continue to be disregarded

- Conditions attached to the Judgement of Ryan v Attorney General (1965) including

a) That the legislation would be unconstitutional if any citizen would suffer dental fluorosis as a result of the policy where modern scientific evidence (York 2001 & Cochrane 2015) indicates some 40% of the population will suffer from dental fluorosis who live in an area that adds fluoride quantities to the public drinking water at a level of 0.7ppm (Parts Per Million) which corresponds with estimates published by the Irish Dental Association in 2012

b) That the legislation was implemented on a further condition that a clear and discernible margin of safety or margin of error existed (also known as the optimal level) between the caries preventative effect and the risk of dental fluorosis attributable to fluoride exposure noting scientific evidence presented to the High Court and on appeal to the Supreme Court, on the day indicated the risk of dental fluorosis was not present until fluoride concentrations in drinking water exceeded 2ppm whereas modern evidence (York 2001) now indicates some 6.3% of the population will suffer from dental fluorosis where fluoride concentrations are as low as 0.1ppm therefore inferring the reality that no margin of safety or “optimal level” actually exists in 2017

- Our concern that fluoride is likely responsible for the developing foetus suffering enamel (amelogenesis) deformities to the first set of teeth (baby teeth), a concern that is attributable to findings contained in the European Commission sanctioned SCHER Report (2011)

To this end we note and wish to express appreciation for past or current support for the campaign in West Cork and the National Effort by;

Minister Jim Daly TD by meeting with the director of the West Cork and Fluoride Free Towns Project, by facilitating a meeting between the same director and the former Chairman of the Oireachtas Committee for Health and Children, Senator Gerry Buttimer in his former capacity as a TD, for making representations to the Department of Health regarding fluoridation induced birth defects through a Parliamentary Question (No 466) and currently by requesting recently raised issues with regards public health and legal matters be dealt with directly by the Minister for Health, Simon Harris TD.

Ms Margaret Murphy O’ Mahony TD in a former capacity as a Cork County Councillor who in advance of the most recent local elections attended a meeting at Inishannon which was also supported by every other member of the Bandon and Kinsale Municipal District Council further noting in the current lifetime of Cork County Council, a motion was passed calling on the Government to immediately cease the policy of water fluoridation which prompted over half of the Country’s City or County Councils to also pass motions calling on the Government to scrap the policy over the following 12 months.

Mr Michael Collins TD in a former capacity as a Cork County Councillor who in advance of the most recent local elections attended a meeting in Dunmanway which was also supported by every other member of the West Cork Municipal District Council further noting in the current lifetime of Cork County Council a motion was passed calling on the Government to immediately cease the policy of water fluoridation which prompted over half of the Country’s City or County Councils to also pass motions calling on the Government to scrap the policy over the following 12 months.

With utmost urgency whilst noting no other European Union Member State currently maintains a similar policy due to health, environmental, legal or ethical concerns where many countries have indeed scrapped similar policies whilst acknowledging serious implications for the Fundamental Constitutional Rights of individuals and the unborn to bodily integrity with specific reference to Articles 40.3.1 and 40.3.3 of Bunreacht Na hÉireann, we respectfully request our TDs accord this matter of national importance their due concern and consider tabling a cross party motion in Dáil Éireann calling for the immediate repeal of the Health (fluoridation of water supplies) Act 1960 as amended by SI No 42 of 2007.

Yours truly,
The Undersigned

Notes:

- For verification or references, please send enquiries to fluoridefreetownsatgmail.com

- During 2014 and 2015 County or City Councils who explicitly and formally called on the Government to cease the policy of adding fluoride to the public water supplies include Cork County Council, Cork City Council, Kerry County Council, Laois County Council, Dublin City Council, Wexford County Council, Leitrim County Council, Galway County and City Council, Cavan County Council, Monaghan County Council, Donegal County Council, Dublin South County Council, Waterford City Council and Waterford County Council