Richard O'Donoghue (Limerick County, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Tánaiste. He mentioned CHI, the HSE and advocates. These are the same people who have been heading this since 2015 except with a new name. Nothing has changed. The same people from that system have a new name with new positions but they are the same people. The one thing the Tánaiste left out in his contribution when he mentioned anxiety for people was the main issue, which is the pain that children are going through unnecessarily. Some of these children cannot leave the country for these operations. They have to be looked at on a 12-monthly basis because of their growth as they get older. If the operations are not done within a timely period, it will create needless pain for these children.

If the issue is not funding or clinical, why is this not happening? Why were these people here again yesterday, after waiting for two years for the Taoiseach to get back to them while their children are in pain? This is the bottom line. We can say what we like but they would not be here if what the Tánaiste is saying was being done. They are at their wits' end watching their children and loved ones in pain every day. Not only are the children in pain, but their families and the people around them see them in pain. This is where the problem lies.

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