Gormley faces pressure as anti-fluoride lobby takes fight to EU

AN environmental group campaigning against the fluoridation of Irish drinking water is to take its battle to the EU.

And the Green Party is set to come under pressure to act on the campaign as, prior to this year’s election, it promised to stop fluoridation if put into government.

Voice of Irish Concern for the Environment (VOICE) has accused the Irish Medicines Board (IMB) of failing to act on the addition of fluoride to public water supplies — claiming that the hydrofluosilicic acid used should be classified as a medicine as it is put into water to treat or prevent dental problems.

The Green Party called for an end to water fluoridation earlier this year. Environment Minister John Gormley, then Green Party environment spokesman, said in March that “the balance of international evidence proves that water fluoridation should be stopped immediately”.

The Greens stated that, if in government, they would put a stop to fluoridation.

Mr Gormley was unavailable for comment.

The VOICE lobby group has described hydrofluosilicic acid as a “toxic concoction” which has never been tested as being suitable for human consumption.

“In almost every other EU member state, hydrofluosilicic acid is not added to drinking water,” the group added.

They want the EU to investigate the use of this substance in Irish water and they put forward their case at a meeting with the EU Petitions Committee, led by MEP Kathy Sinnott, yesterday afternoon.

“The medicines board have not acted over an illegal medicine,” said Robert Pocock of VOICE

In a response to a recent letter from VOICE on the accusation, the IMB said that fluoride added to water was not regarded as a medicine but they have passed on the group’s concerns on the issue to the Department of Health.

* www.voiceireland.org

* www.imb.ie