Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, Solidarity)

Two weeks ago, I raised with the Taoiseach the issue of unnecessary surgeries on children said to have hip dysplasia and unnecessary osteotomies. I questioned why the surgeons responsible had not been suspended or at the very least suspended from carrying out osteotomies. Since then, I have learned it is even worse than I feared. There was a meeting last Tuesday to decide on surgical indicators into the future for which children should get these operations. The two surgeons representing Temple Street were involved in doing unnecessary surgeries, according to the audit. The people responsible for the crisis are now writing the rules for who will get these operations in the future. It is mind-blowing. I do not know if the Government is aware of that. Does the Taoiseach think it is appropriate that the two surgeons representing Temple Street in these meetings conducted a significant number of unnecessary operations, according to the audit? Instead of driving it, they should be nowhere near this process.

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