Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Scoliosis is a debilitating and painful condition for a person's spine twists and curves. It can cause the ribcage to press against the lungs and internal organs making it increasingly difficult to breathe. It is especially tough on young children. Where children do not get the surgeries they need on time, the consequences are devastating. The longer they wait, the more complex the procedures they will eventually need and without timely care, children end up in wheelchairs. Some children wait so long that they become inoperable and they have run out of time. Too many children and their parents face this agonising wait. The suffering and the mental distress is just unimaginable. In 2017 the Taoiseach promised that by the end of that year no child would wait longer than four months for scoliosis surgery. That was seven years ago and that promise has been broken again and again. To be clear, the four-month target was agreed between the Taoiseach as the then Minister for Health and the HSE based on international best practice. That promise made by the Taoiseach then was broken. He failed to build the capacity needed here and in 2019 he ended the scheme through which children could travel abroad to have their operations faster.

Last night, my colleague, an Teachta Cullinane, and I again met parents of children of scoliosis and spina bifida. They are very angry, hurt and they feel completely betrayed. They asked me to relay their words to the Taoiseach directly. They said they wanted to tell Simon Harris that Government has actively consistently and comprehensively failed their children. They said to tell him that they as parents did all of the right things, everything they could do, and yet their children are subjected to serious and ongoing harm.

The Taoiseach met these families back in 2016 and many of the same children are still in the system today experiencing delays to the treatments they need so badly. Moreover, parents live every day with the fear of their child becoming inoperable. They say that many of the parents are kept in the dark by Children's Health Ireland, CHI, and they see hard-working consultants under huge pressure and without the resources they need. Parents suspect and fear that many more children may have run out of time and have become inoperable. They want the Government to fund a second opinion for their children, independent of CHI. The Taoiseach can see that their trust has been shattered by all of the empty promises. Níl aon ghá le gealltanais fholmha do pháistí le scoliosis agus spina bifida. Is é an rud atá uathu ná nósanna imeachta leighis anois.

Yesterday, the Taoiseach restated a promise to children with scoliosis and spina bifida but these children do not need any more promises. They need the operations. The Taoiseach stated that every resource possible will be provided "to make sure no child finds themselves waiting in pain and agony". These children, however, are waiting in pain and agony today and as I heard this promise from the Taoiseach seven long years ago, I have three questions for the Taoiseach. First, is the Taoiseach promising once again that children will not wait more than four months for spinal surgeries? Second, is the Taoiseach reinstating the scheme for children who can travel abroad to get their operations? Third, will Government fund that second independent opinion, independent from CHI, that parents are now demanding for their children?

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