Máire Devine (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

This is a sensitive, distressing and very damaging space we need to talk about. I am not a begrudger but this is not the most appropriate place to congratulate a camogie team.

I will start with something I have worked with all my life. The oath medics take is "first, do no harm". It has been proved CHI and those involved have done absolutely horrific harm. Harm has been done to our children and to the families trying to cope not just with the illness but also the effects of their children being guinea pigs, for whatever reason those people had to do those operations on the little ones. I am dismayed at the myriad serious, shocking failures that have come to light regarding Children's Health Ireland under Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael's stewardship and the watches of their Ministers for Health since 2011. Unapproved metal springs being implanted in children's spines at Temple Street and elsewhere, the glacial waiting lists for scoliosis surgery and the unnecessary hip surgeries at Temple Street and Cappagh hospital, these are tantamount to unauthorised medical experimentation on children. The Taoiseach is never too happy with the reporting of The Ditch, but it has said, and this rings true, that "Nothing like this has happened in Europe since the Second World War". We should just think about that and what happened then.

These scandals reveal an absolute breakdown in safety protocols, governance and systemic failures in regulation of the hospital system. Again and again children have been utterly failed and this has placed their health and safety at risk. There has been a loss of credibility and of the confidence and trust of the people. Reports suggest nearly 80% of hip operations on children in Cappagh hospital and 60% in Temple Street were unnecessary and based on incorrect diagnoses. Not only is reform required but full accountability. I hope the Minister will demand that.

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