Sorca Clarke (Longford-Westmeath, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

We all want to ensure that, as we transition to the new children's hospital, it provides the best quality care with the highest standards of governance, management, ethics, open disclosure and communication between families and medics. However, we simply cannot say that was provided to the children and families failed by the scandal of unnecessary hip surgeries at CHI. A scandal that goes back a decade or more and that happened under the watch of several Ministers for Health demands an extensive investigation. It also demands that those responsible for the failures be held to account. While the Government has known for about a year, parents tell me that they only became aware of the audit after The Ditch reported on it. They feel very strongly that concerns were hidden from them. That is wrong. No parent should feel like that after a child has had surgery. At the very least, those parents now deserve certainty and clarity.

There was a protected disclosure in September 2023 and the Department was notified in May 2024 but the audit that started in summer 2024 has yet to complete or publish a final report. I acknowledge the Minister's statements in the previous segment, however. A draft report on 147 case samples from 2021 to 2023 across 14 surgeons and three hospitals found that 79% of hip surgeries at Cappagh were not necessary, 60% at Temple Street were not necessary and 2% at Crumlin were not necessary. There is a question that now needs to be asked. What about those before 2021? We know that parents sought second opinions and that there are cases where those second opinions not only said that the children did not require surgery, but that the diagnosis itself was incorrect. We also know that some children were pushed towards surgery on both hips even though it was only required on one.

These revelations come as the completion of HIQA's investigation into non-medical grade implants in several children found severe governance and institutional failures at Children's Health Ireland. These failures cannot be carried over to the new children's hospital. These failures can never be repeated. Trust has been shattered. We have no confidence in the board or executive of CHI. Who could after this? The Government must appoint a new board to lead a major cultural and governance overhaul at CHI. That is the very least parents, patients, future patients and the good staff who work in our medical services deserve.

I will make a brief comment regarding the contribution of my colleague Deputy Brian Brennan during the previous segment. I do not think he quite realises how powerful his contribution was. I hope he will look back on the video because I believe he will then see it.

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