Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

A lot of progress has been made and that does not get acknowledged. The HIQA report is a good report insofar as it clearly lays out what happened. What happened was wrong. It was incomprehensible. I said that yesterday. It is beyond belief that one would insert devices into a child that are not CE approved. It is very hard to comprehend that. That is unacceptable.

In terms of spinal procedures more generally, we are increasing activity year on year. There has been a 35% increase in activity compared to 2019 but we need to do more and that means recruiting more qualified surgeons and entire teams to enable that level of activity to increase. There has been a decrease of close to 20% in the number of those waiting over four months and a 59% reduction, as it should be, in the number of those waiting over 12 months but it is not enough in itself. We set up the dedicated paediatric spinal surgery management unit in 2024. There is a ring-fenced theatre in Crumlin. A lot of things have happened to enable a greater throughput and more consistency in terms of getting surgery done.

I spoke about public inquiries during Questions to the Taoiseach yesterday. Up to five public inquiries are being sought on different matters. I told the entire Dáil that we need to reflect on that. Is it the best model to investigate issues of this kind? Public inquiries are costing millions. Since 1998, €500 million has been spent on inquiries. There is an ethical question as to whether resources should be targeted at existing services for children living today across social, healthcare and education services. Inevitably, victims who seek inquiries do not get closure from them and are not happy with the outcome of inquiries. Many of these inquiries are taking years and costing millions. This is a serious issue. I have been in opposition so I am not casting aspersions on anybody but the easiest thing to do is to call for a public inquiry. It is a case of "that's done, we've called for it, so let's have it". Judges are taken from courts, reluctantly now because very few judges are coming forward. As an Oireachtas, we need to examine this.

My view is that we have agencies we have statutorily established to investigate issues. That is what HIQA is for in terms of healthcare. That is why it was set up. The Health and Safety Authority was set up for accidents while Fiosrú, which was GSOC, was set up for An Garda Síochána. These agencies need to do their jobs effectively and properly. I am not sure whether having public inquiries or calling for public inquiries or commissions of investigation that go on forever, cost millions and where people are not happy at the end of them is a sustainable model.

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