David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

If we do not have enough paediatric surgeon consultants, it creates problems. The Minister knows we have the ongoing Nayagam review and the review by HIQA into the use of springs. There was a media report this week of an audit that was commenced in April of last year conducted by an NHS consultant on the back of very serious allegations made by whistleblowers, including that operations on children were being done purely for financial gain, that osteotomies in two of the three children's hospitals have now been suspended and that potentially there could be a recall of up to 561 children. Is that the case? Has she, as Minister for Health, investigated this? It is a very serious issue on top of all the other reviews which are ongoing and it feeds into the need for more consultants, more staff, proper training, proper oversight and proper accountability. I am alarmed that we have this report, which I have not heard Government respond to yet, that potentially operations which were unnecessary have been carried out on children. We need to be assured that this has been properly investigated. Has the Minister seen this audit report which has been published? Has she sought it? What action will the Government take on the back of the allegations which have been made?

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