Christopher O'Sullivan (Cork South West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I acknowledge the increased expenditure of €19 million, the 200 additional healthcare professionals and the reductions in waiting lists of 5% and 13%, but there is a statistic that is concerning, namely that although there were 509 procedures in 2022, there were fewer in 2023. Therefore, something has gone awry. I appreciate that the Minister is not here and that the Minister of State has inherited a bit of a mess, but that mess needs to be sorted because people like Anna Russell are suffering. I am sure the surgeon, for whom I cannot speak today and who operates out of Crumlin, would state the whole thing is a bit of a mess.

Despite the investment, which is of course welcome, and the recruitment of additional staff, children like Anna Russell, an incredibly charming young girl, are going through unnecessary pain. Their conditions are getting worse and their curvature is increasing. The more it increases, the more pain poor Anna will go through.

I acknowledge that much work has been done but the Department needs to acknowledge that it is still not good enough and that young people should not be waiting as long as they are, not just for surgery but even to get a date for surgery. Anna and her mum, Marion, have no idea whether the surgery will happen in a month, a year or two years. They should at least have a date.

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