Mark Ward (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Earlier, I spoke with one of my constituents from Clondalkin. Gillian Sherratt is the mother of eight-year-old Harvey. Harvey is suffering from life-threatening spina bifida and scoliosis. He was on the waiting list to have an operation on his spine for 33 months. The Minister may remember when Harvey touched the hearts of the nation as a video showed him struggling to breathe as a result of his spinal curve leading to his rib cage twisting around his lungs and heart. His family have been campaigning vigorously for Harvey to have this life-saving operation. Despite being on a waiting list, his parents found out that Harvey was removed from the active waiting list without them being informed. Harvey's parents, Gillian and Stephen, had to campaign to have Harvey put back on the list. We can be thankful that they were successful in that campaign but they were given no explanation or reason for Harvey having been removed in the first place.

Harvey finally received the first of his two operations in November after 33 months on a waiting list. His mother, Gillian, informed me today that the difference since Harvey received his operation has been like night and day. Even during the difficult recovery stage, Harvey's breathing started improving and he has now started eating solid foods for the first time in six years. He is a different child since these operations were performed. However, his parents have said that despite the two operations, the curvature of his spine is only slightly less than when he was first put on the waiting list he was on for 33 months. Gillian also informed me that, if Harvey had got the operation on his spine in the timeframe of four months laid out by Deputy Harris, his spine would now be straight. The curvature of his spine is now at 80° and he is scheduled to have more operations to rectify this.

The major criticism that Harvey's parents and other parents have regarding the delays faced by children is that early intervention is absolutely key and humane. While Gillian and Stephen are grateful that Harvey is on the road to recovery, they cannot help but remember the 33 months for which Harvey had to endure the pain. These 33 months of Harvey's childhood were robbed from him. Harvey's parents want to see lessons learned from this so that no other child will be left waiting in pain.

See this speech in context