Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South-Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Tacaím leis an rún agus tréaslaím leis an Teachta Cullinane as an méid atá déanta aige. Is léir ón méid a tuairiscíodh nach raibh aon ghá le líon an-suntasach na n-obráidí seo agus go mbeadh impleachtaí fadtéarmacha agus dáiríre do na leanaí atá i gceist. The most common Irish phrase to describe an operation is "dul faoi scian", which is literally to say "to go under the knife". Whether or not that is always the most appropriate phrase, what it conveys is the fact that it is not something anybody does lightly. In the incidences we are talking about, some of these children are very young, and I think any of us would shudder at the thought of children being exposed to very serious, very significant operations that were not necessary.

I appreciate the points the Minister has made about waiting for the report and so on, but the percentages of surgeries that were not necessary - 79% at Cappagh and 60% at Temple Street - are so high it hardly bears thinking about. We would be concerned, I think, if that was 30%. If any operation were found not to be necessary, you would raise a question about it. Well over the majority of operations in those two locations were unnecessary. That is a huge concern and it falls once again into the questions that remain with Children's Health Ireland. At this stage trust, it is fair to say, has been shattered. It has been completely lost. We in Sinn Féin do not have confidence in the board of Children's Health Ireland and, in our view, there is a need for a new board.

These are revelations of the utmost seriousness. I cannot see into the future. The Minister says we need to wait for the report. Perhaps it is the case that she will, once she receives the report, do everything right. However, my experience very often in this place is that a Minister says, "We will wait for the report and we will see", and the actions that come after that can be very underwhelming and do not get to the root task or the root issue at hand. Obviously, I cannot see into the future; I do not know if that will be the case. However, I would caution against that. This is very significant, very serious stuff and it underlines serious flaws in terms of Children's Health Ireland. Our concern is that children are suffering on account of it.

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