Dáil debates

Thursday, 14 October 2021

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions

 

12:10 pm

Photo of Róisín ShortallRóisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

This week most people were deeply disturbed and moved to learn about the plight of Adam Terry, a ten-year-old little boy who is living in agony because he has been waiting for more than four years for scoliosis surgery. Adam is not the only child who is suffering. This week I was contacted by the mother of a six-year-old girl, Rosie. She is desperately trying to get treatment for her daughter. Rosie was born with spina bifida and hydrocephalus and has been diagnosed with epilepsy and scoliosis. She is a full-time wheelchair user.

In September 2019, Rosie and her mother met with consultant paediatric orthopaedic surgeon, Connor Green, at Temple Street and he said he hoped to operate on Rosie by that Christmas - that is Christmas 2019 - as a matter of urgency. That surgery did not take place and, more than two years later, there have been no updates from the hospital as to when it is likely to take place. That mother has contacted the hospital on numerous occasions, requested an independent review into Rosie's level of care and, earlier this year, finally went to the Ombudsman for Children. While this has been going on, Rosie's condition has significantly deteriorated. Both of her hips are now dislocated and she can no longer use her postural support equipment which is vital to try to limit the damage being done to her little body by scoliosis. Again I would point out that Rosie is six years old.

Rosie, Adam and the nearly 200 other children like them on waiting lists are enduring torture which is being facilitated by our healthcare system. There is no other way to describe such cruel infliction of needless pain. What does it say about our society and priorities that we allow this to happen? Children's bodies are becoming permanently deformed and they are enduring avoidable excruciating pain because of a lack of timely medical intervention.

It has been more than four years since the former health Minister, Deputy Harris, made a vow that children like Rosie and Adam would not have to wait more than four months for treatment. We all know Covid has had an impact but vital surgeries like these must be prioritised. In February, Mr. Green told The Irish Times:

"My access to theatre is half a day once a week, so I can do one child once a week. On average ... I can operate on [only] 40 children a year." Meanwhile, three to four patients per week are added to his ... list.

Mr. Green said if he operated every day from February to the end of the year he still would not clear his list. That is how bad things are. He said it was "disgusting and unacceptable". Will the Tánaiste give an indication of when Rosie will have her operation? Will he tell us how many theatres and what days is there space available for children in this appalling situation?

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