Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour) | Oireachtas source

In a specific reply to a specific part of the Deputy's query about additional resources, I have said that as a result of the initiative under way, some 100 extra scoliosis operations were carried out last year. That was a 51% increase on the figure for the previous year. I also said a further 33 patients had been transferred to the Blackrock Clinic and the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital in Stanmore in the United Kingdom. I gave this detailed response in reply to a question put by Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan some weeks ago. I do not want the Deputy to demoralise staff in hospitals through the invective she has applied to the scoliosis initiative.

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