Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Yes. There are wider issues regarding governance. This review is not just looking at the 20 children involved in this situation. The review is looking at that and at the use of non-medical equipment but he will go much wider, not just on Temple Street but across Children's Health Ireland and right across paediatric orthopaedics so that I, and all of us, on behalf of these children and their families, can be satisfied that every single thing that can be done is being done for them.

The investment includes both surgery and post-operative care. We do not have the level of surgery and post-operative care we need to fully deal with waiting times. More resources are coming online, much of it in the next number of weeks. Some Deputies asked what the additional resources are. I think I covered that; it is about 160 extra staff, 150 of whom are in place, the second MRI scanner in Crumlin and the additional operating theatre in Temple Street.

One thing I had not mentioned was that some of the less complex procedures, such as intrathecal chemotherapy, are being moved out of theatre to procedural rooms, freeing up more theatre space for more complex work. Many beds have been added, along with additional staff, including registrars, consultants, radiographers, nurses, physiotherapists, occupational therapists and associated posts. We went through the timing. If colleagues have any further questions based on today, we will get whatever is required. I also wish to offer a briefing from the Department, if members of the Joint Committee on Health would like it. I am happy to organise that.

Temple Street is now implementing the recommendations from the Boston review. I expect there will be a more actionable response from the independent review. The chief clinical officer and I expect the first interim report before the end of the year, which I will publish and share with patients, families, Members of the Oireachtas and more broadly.

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