Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)

I thank the Deputy for reminding the House of the nature and detail of the motion. He was calling for the consideration of ideas in this area. We should all be able to participate in that. The Government is certainly happy to do so.

Regarding the specific proposal around a Bill, I will have to consult the Minister, Jennifer Carroll MacNeill. I take care around putting really important policy matters into legislation because, at times, it can undermine the ability of the Government to intervene and respond to issues that are complex. We have put so much in additional resources into trying to help the young children and their families who are dealing with the health condition of scoliosis. The Deputy is aware of the additional operating theatre that is available, the additional staff there, and the number of children we seek sought to prioritise for healthcare elsewhere. However, we know more progress needs to be made. We will certainly assess Deputy Gogarty's proposal in a generous way to see if it could make a concrete difference to the very important thing he wants to see delivered.

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