Jim Daly (Cork South West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

There is nothing simple about this. Deputy O'Reilly keeps using the word "simple" in that she wants simple answers to simple questions but this is a very complex, difficult area of surgery. The Deputy can nod her head all she likes but we sometimes have to listen. Nobody in this room has a monopoly on understanding or compassion for what is involved for these patients. I am a practising politician the same as everybody else in this House and we all have constituents and are aware of people, sometimes family or other people connected to us, who are awaiting these urgent, difficult and complex procedures. There is a variety of challenges and difficulties, both in capacity of personnel and in a lack of theatre space. There are other competing procedures because scoliosis is not the only procedure that has waiting lists. There are many other waiting lists in the medical system competing for the same theatre space, skill set, time and resources. We as a Government prioritised scoliosis in 2018 and put an additional €9 million towards it. As I understand it, as of today that money will not be spent by the HSE in its entirety because of the difficulties and challenges that are there. Despite what the Deputy might say-----

See this speech in context