Pádraig Rice (Cork South-Central, Social Democrats)

I first raised the issue of children enduring unnecessary hip surgeries with the Taoiseach in March. It is nearly two months later and we are still none the wiser about what went on. A draft audit of the surgeries in three hospitals between 2021 and 2023 has been in the public domain for months. That audit found a large portion of surgeries in two of those hospitals were potentially unnecessary. There have been repeated questions about the scandal in this Chamber, but no further answers. The Taoiseach cannot even tell us when the final report will be published.

Now, we find out that families whose children were operated on up to 15 years ago are receiving letters. This suggests that the draft findings of the audit are going to be upheld, and we are dealing with a scandal of nearly unparalleled proportions. It is not credible to say there is no timeline for the publication of this audit. Let me ask the Taoiseach for the third time today - when will the audit be published? If he cannot give us a date, will he explain the lack of urgency in dealing with this issue? Will he tell us how deep the rot goes? Are we facing an appalling vista of potentially thousands of children having endured unnecessary hip surgeries over the past 15 years?

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