Catherine Byrne (Dublin South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Speaking personally, as a mother and a grandmother, no parent should be left waiting for surgery for such a long time. Unfortunately, as the Deputy knows, in the past matters were not as fluid as we would have liked them to be, but funding is now beginning to build up again and the Minister is doing his utmost to ensure that staff are provided. The HSE has tried to recruit people especially in specialties around paediatric orthopaedic services and theatre nurses. We are trying to face this challenge together. I am delighted that the Minister has engaged with the parents' advocacy group. I will relay the Deputy's wealth of understanding of this serious situation to him. Like any parent, I do not want to see any child suffer.

I hope we will be able to address this in the early new year. It is not that people have not tried but that people have not been there to facilitate the opening of the new theatre in Crumlin. As somebody who lives quite close to the hospital, I know the wonderful work done there on a daily basis for young and older children.

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