Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Solidarity) | Oireachtas source

Previous speakers referred to obesity, screen time for children, children not getting enough sleep and the importance of playing football. That was quite incredible in the context of a debate designed to deal with a succession of ongoing failures at CHI.

I do not want to partake in hyperbole, particularly as health workers are the absolute salt of the earth. Everybody who has any experience of our health service knows the dedication, hard work and stamina it takes to work in such a system, particularly one that is overstretched and overloaded. There are great people working in CHI. However, it does not surprise me that scandals are happening in children's health in particular because this is no country for children. They are treated appallingly by the health service. These things would not happen in adult health. There are obviously problems in adult health but not of the scale we are seeing with CHI. We have all had experience of trying to get treatment for our children in the health service. It is not pleasant, I can tell you, being sent out of Temple Street hospital with a child who has been vomiting for weeks.

This is why it is so surprising to hear about doctors performing unnecessary surgeries. Why would a doctor carry out an unnecessary surgery? You cannot get a blood test or a procedure in the health service unless you are dying in front of them. This matter is worthy of examination. I have spoken to parents about why they think this is happening. Let us look at what happened. A massive number of surgeries that were not necessary seem to have been carried out. That fact was brought to light by whistleblowers. We have to ask why that was the case. Is it one doctor or a group of doctors? It is very hard to get any procedure done in the health service. Does the Minister think doctors are experimenting on disabled children? She may think that is hyperbole, but I have just spoken to parents and that is their feeling. It is either that or there is a financial element involved.

The issue of disabled children being used to practice on has been raised with me. Parents of children with spina bifida have told me about their experiences generally in the health system, such as in the context of care often not provided by consultants but registrars. They feel it is such a high level it should not be done. There is competition - even unhealthy competition - between the different hospitals. There is a huge rate of failure of procedures. I really wonder why doctors did the surgeries in question and what the Minister thinks was the reason for their being carried out. The hospitals are now being brought together under one board. From talking to parents who have been to different hospitals, I am aware that they all have different systems and that there is competition between staff in some cases. How will they work together? Does the Minister seriously think this board, which presided over these catastrophes, will be able to move forward?

non-medical grade devices, the springs, have already been spoken about quite a lot. Does the Minister feel any other devices have been used in children which have not been ethically or properly tested? I have been told about urology devices - peg-feed devices into children's bladders, which parents say were not ethically checked out, are not normally recommended and that this information was only brought to the attention of the Minister yesterday. Does she have concerns about devices being used on children in other ways throughout the health service?

I also raise infection rates. The Boston report and internal CHI report on children living with spina bifida showed that Crumlin and Temple Street hospitals had infection rates of 55% and 75%, respectively. In the UK, theatres in several hospitals have been shut down for having a 7% infection rate. How could the infection rate be ten times greater in these hospitals without anybody shouting stop? It is incredible. The X-ray and Wi-Fi issues have been brought to light by whistleblowers. One spoke about being called into operating theatres where operations were under way and the X-ray had not been used. How is that in any way safe? What is the Minister's feeling on that? We are now hearing about chemotherapy which is reliant on a Wi-Fi connection rather than a hard-wired connection in Crumlin hospital.

It beggars belief how children are treated by the health service in this country, particularly disabled children, who seem to pay the highest price for an underfunded health system. Anybody who has been in Temple Street hospital or Crumlin hospital will know that they have been in an absolute state for years. They are also suffering because of staff shortages due to the housing crisis in particular. People cannot afford to make a decent life here. There is also the workload and conditions people are asked to operate in. All of this has happened while there have been booming budget surpluses in the coffers of this State. There are multiple issues - infection rates, Wi-Fi, IT, staffing, non-medical grade devices and unnecessary hip operations. Is it not time for the board to resign? It is not in the motion but it is beyond belief that this would not be called for now. There should also be a public inquiry. There are so many issues - it is systemic at this point. Parents are demanding it. We all know it will happen eventually because that is what always happens. People have to push and push for years before it is conceded. I urge the Minster not to delay any longer on these issues. We need a new board to bring forward the children's health services in this country.

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