Fluoridation forum report due to be released

The long-awaited report from the Fluoridation Forum is expected to be released by the Government today.

The long-awaited report from the Fluoridation Forum is expected to be released by the Government today.

The forum was set up by Minister for Health, Mr Martin, in September 2000 to review the fluoridation of public water supplies. Nearly 90 per cent of the 1,050 submissions it received objected to fluoride in the public water supply.

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There are vested interests out there who want to see fluoridation continued
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Green Party chairman Mr John Gormley

The chairman of the Green Party, Mr John Gormley, claims the report will be biased.

"It does seem that they prefer the status quo," he said. "Also, there are vested interests out there who want to see fluoridation continued."

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The forum was due to report to the Minister in October last year.

Mr Gormley claimed the report has been ready for at least six months but that Mr Martin was publishing it today so it would be lost in the coverage of the September 11th anniversary tomorrow.

A Department of Health spokesman said the publication was delayed for a number of reasons, including the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease, which hampered meetings. A senior member of the forum was also incapacitated through illness for some time, he said.