Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

When the Deputy highlighted this issue with me in the Dáil last week, or perhaps it was her party leader, I asked the National Treatment Purchase Fund, NTPF, to ensure that all the proper protocols and procedures are being followed. I have no evidence to suggest they are not but in light of the Deputy raising it I have asked to make sure that is the case and I will correspond with her on that. The reason the waiting lists are reducing is logical enough - we are carrying out a lot more procedures. I have spoken directly to the clinicians. They are eminent medical professionals who work extremely hard on this and I know the Deputy accepts this too. They are satisfied that progress is being made. We have more to do. The scoliosis co-design plan is an exciting and important step forward. It has had the direct input of children, including young children, in how they want their services to be designed. It will be published next month and I look forward to the arrival of the two extra consultant posts which we promised, which we will deliver and which we have funded. They will start working in the Irish health service later this year. That will mark another step forward in building sustainable services in order that we never return to the place we were in last year and in years gone by. I do not want to see us ever go back there as a country and we will do everything that we can to make sure that never happens.

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