2 - The individual right to bodily integrity which is being violated through the widespread infliction of irreversible cosmetic and structural damage to the teeth of hundreds of thousands of people throughout the state. This right to bodily integrity was ironically enshrined in the Irish Constitution as a result of the legal challenge taken against the fluoridation policy (Ryan v Ag 1964).
3 - The threat to the country's very valuable food and drinks industry through the use of fluoridated water. Fluoridated water according to ECJ (European Court of Justice) rulings and European Directives is a medicinal product and unlicensed one at that. Given the risk Irish food and beverage products pose to consumers through the addition of a widely undeclared ingredient (fluoride) and the increased danger of consumers suffering from irreversible cosmetic and structural damage to their teeth (fluorosis) and in consideration of violated European Food and Medicinal Product Directives, other European Governments could therefore call into question the safety of Irish food and drinks products therefore putting in jeopardy the jobs of over 200,00 people directly employed by the this very valuable sector of the Irish economy. This point has been brought to the attention of the Minister for Agriculture, Marine, Food and Defense, Mr. Simon Coveney and the FSAI (Food Safety Authority of Ireland).
4 - The EU precedent set for which not one other European Government maintain a similar mandatory public water fluoridation policy due to health, environmental, legal or ethical concerns as a result of ongoing scientific and medical objection.
I am in the process of bringing information of these legal points to the attention of various regulatory authorities and I hope that,
That the logical step of scrapping the country's outdated and dangerous mandatory public water fluoridation policy will be brought to a prompt and wise conclusion in the near future for which there is growing national political support for.
I'd therefore be very grateful if Councillors would see to it that motions calling for the immediate reversal of the policy are tabled and passed as soon as is practicable. These motions will not unfortunately have any legal effect but will go a long way to supporting the 5 Councils who've passed motions in 2014 and will increase pressure on the Government to call the time this outdated and dangerous public health policy.
For the consideration of all Councillors, included here is one of the most concise and direct motions I have seen put together in the past 12 months. If any councillors are considering tabling motions, this may be of use in deciding what wording to use.
"That this Council records its opposition to the current policy of water fluoridation in Ireland, based on documented research that shows a decrease dental caries in all western countries irrespective of whether the water is fluoridated or not, as well as research which shows the effect of fluoride to be topical not systemic (ie works at the location not through the body); calls on the Government to organise a national referendum on water fluoridation in the next 18 months, (possibly in tandem with another referendum), which will educate the public thoroughly on both sides of the debate and allow their voice to be heard on this important public health issue; and that a letter recording this resolution shall be forwarded directly to the Taoiseach and the Minister for the Environment and CC'd to all cabinet Ministers, requesting the matter to be discussed at cabinet level."
I believe all concerned should also be aware that every political party in the State and many independents have at one time or another outlined policy positions of opposition to mandatory public water fluoridation including Fine Gael and Fianna Fail who passed an anti fluoride motion at their Ard Fheis in 2014. http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/fg-election-promise-to-ban-fluoride-in-drinking-water-26099298.html
I fully appreciate the matter discussed in this correspondence to be of a very serious nature and I therefore welcome queries or requests for references to support any of the points I have raised in this communication.
Thanking you in advance for your consideration and I'd be very grateful for any update from Councillors intending to table motions in the near future."