James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for his reply. I am aware that some funding has been channelled towards Cappagh and CHI in recent times. The families of children in this situation have been in touch with me, as I am sure they have been with the Minister and many others in this House. Their number one priority is to change the situation being faced by children who are waiting in some cases up to four years for surgery. The condition is sometimes by then inoperable because the child's condition has worsened to such an extent. The parents want this issue tackled. The view, certainly among the families, is that Cappagh is the place where these surgeries should be performed. It is the place that needs the funding and attention. I know there has been talk about money going to CHI. I am not sure whether that would filter through from CHI to Cappagh or how that would work in practice.

The other point that has been made to me is that there is sometimes competition for places in an operating surgery or theatre. Children coming in with complex needs, including spina bifida, scoliosis and other conditions, can find, particularly in an elective context, that another child has an accident or something happens in a game of rugby or whatever else and that child is rushed in. An operation on a child with spina bifida could take six, seven or eight hours while another surgery could be performed in one hour. Eight children could be seen in the same time it takes to treat one child with spina bifida and the children with spina bifida are knocked out again and again. They do not necessarily go to the back of the queue but they certainly do not get seen. The view of the families is that they need a dedicated facility to perform these procedures and operations. Can that be done in Cappagh? Does this money allow that? Perhaps the Minister would clarify that point for the House.

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