David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

People will be wary of promises made, such as those that were made to children with scoliosis. I accept, however, the Minister's statement that this is a target and that everything needs to be done to ensure we reach it. It the Sláintecare goal and we have to implement it. There are still far too many children waiting beyond the Sláintecare targets. There are 9,910 children on inpatient waiting lists, of whom 72% have been waiting more than 12 weeks. There are 79,241 children on outpatient lists, of whom 74% have been waiting over ten weeks.

I read this morning that the Minister had asked the HSE board to look at potential sanctions for hospitals that do not perform. Children's Health Ireland, CHI, is not performing in some areas. The Minister said this week that there is an audit under way of the €19 million provided for children's orthopaedic services, specifically in the areas of scoliosis and spina bifida. If that audit finds that all the money was not spent for the purposes for which it was intended, what sanctions can the Minister or the HSE impose?

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