Cathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

It is. I want to conclude by thanking Ms Kelly for clarifying that. There are 51 patients who have been very worried about this. It would be no harm if Ms Kelly and the surgical team in the hospital could write out to patients explaining this, as well as that any scientific analysis is to be published and to be put in the public domain. It is bad enough to have scoliosis. We have heard from many of the children in recent days. Their parents have emailed us. Some of these children are close to paralysis. They are in wheelchairs and they are awaiting surgery. On top of that, those who have had surgery have had this added risk, health concern and potentially a metallosis or a detachment of end caps. It concerns me. I am glad that we have clarification this morning. However, we have been outliers in continuing to implant this when other countries pulled right back from it. Ms Kelly’s clarification is welcome here, but it needs to go beyond what is said in the committee this morning. That needs to be issued in a communiqué to all families of patients who are either waiting for or who have received this implant.