David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I have been in many hospitals in recent weeks. I have been in hospitals in Cork, Galway, Limerick, Laois, Sligo and many other places. I have met hospital management, campaigning groups and those on the front line and the figures are shocking. The length of time people are waiting is also a difficulty.

I want to home in on the matter of children with scoliosis because a promise was made not so long ago by the Minister's predecessor and by his predecessor that there would be a maximum four-month waiting time for treatment. There was a promise of outsourcing but that never worked if we are to be truthful. There was also a promise of extra clinics and new consultant posts but children are still waiting. The number of those cases has come into the public domain in recent weeks as the Minister knows. We talked about this when I moved a Private Members' motion and the Minister talked about a girl called Sarah. The problem is still there and it has not gotten better. What will the Minister and the Government do to better support children with scoliosis?

See this speech in context