Paediatric spinal surgery waiting lists
Deputy McDonald criticises failures over children awaiting spinal surgery and unused funding, and the Taoiseach says he will return directly on her specific questions. He also updates the House on Tori Towey’s travel ban being lifted and says he has confidence in the new consultant leading the paediatric spinal surgery unit.
Children with scoliosis and spina bifida waiting for spinal surgery have been repeatedly failed by the State. Confirmation that the majority of the €19 million allocated by the Government to tackle surgery waiting lists was not used for this purpose is just another broken promise to these children and their parents. It is scandalous that the Minister, Deputy Donnelly, did not act immediately when advocacy groups raised their fears that this money was being directed into other services.
It is time to end the broken promises to these children and their families. On 16 April last the Taoiseach gave two commitments. First, that the scheme through which children can travel abroad to get operations would be reinstated. Has that scheme been reinstated? When will it be reinstated? Second, he committed to engaging with the HSE about funding second opinions for children, independent of CHI. Parents, as the Taoiseach knows, have been demanding this for quite some time. Can the Taoiseach answer on those two promises for the parents and children today?
Comment on this
Can I, with the indulgence of the House, give Members an update on Ms Tori Towey, which I have just received in real time? I do not want to take away from Deputy McDonald's question but I have just been informed that the travel ban has been lifted. Embassy staff will take Tori to the airport as soon as she is ready to go. The embassy, of course, will continue to follow up on the case, which is still active, as of now. I just wanted to inform the House of that and to thank all in our embassy for their work in relation to that.
Comment on this
I had a very good meeting with the new consultant surgeon who is heading up a paediatric spinal surgery unit, Mr. David Moore. Deputy McDonald may have met him. He is a very accomplished individual and I must say that I left the meeting with a great degree of confidence in terms of the work that he is undertaking. I will have to come back to the Deputy directly, and will do so today, on the two specific questions she asked. I am very clear on the second opinion and on the ability to access treatment abroad. On the treatment abroad issue, I had a discussion with Mr. Moore at the meeting and my understanding is that it is being arranged. On the second opinion issue, I need to check that but will revert to the Deputy on both issues today.