Mark Ward (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)

Gillian Sherratt and Stephen Morrison are constituents of mine. They are my neighbours and the parents of Harvey who, as we all know, died tragically earlier this year. I got to know Gillian and Stephen very well over the last while. I am really fond of them. They are just an ordinary family trying to do their best for their children and build a life for themselves. They carried themselves with dignity and humanity when they tried to get treatment for Harvey while he was alive. They have continued to do so in their unselfish pursuit of justice for Harvey since he passed away. This pursuit is unfortunately too late for Harvey but it is not too late for all the other children who have suffered and languished on waiting lists for life-saving surgery. The Tánaiste promised in 2017 that no child would be left waiting for over four months for surgery that would save and improve the lives of children with scoliosis and spina bifida. There is a real human impact of this broken promise. Harvey was left suffering on a waiting list to have an operation for 33 months - not under four months, as the Tánaiste promised. In those 33 months, Harvey was constantly in and out of hospital as the curvature of his spine increased, putting pressure on his rib cage that twisted around his heart and lungs. I would like to take a moment to imagine what it was like for a young boy to have his lungs crushed and his heart pressed in, or to imagine the sense of helplessness that Gillian and Stephen felt as parents as they watched their beautiful boy deteriorate in front of their eyes. While Harvey suffered, CHI for some inexplicable reason removed him from the waiting list with no explanation to his family. They have not received an explanation.

Harvey Sherratt Morrison died on 27 July this year. He was only nine years of age. In his short life, he touched the hearts of a nation. He certainly touched mine. His parents have continued to campaign to get justice for Harvey in order that no other child will suffer. Yesterday I attended a very emotional presentation in Leinster House - I was not on my own - at which I heard the term "medical orphan" used to describe children waiting for treatment for scoliosis. I do not know how we have allowed this to happen in a modern society. Government backbenchers who spoke yesterday at the presentation said it is unacceptable that children are suffering. I agree with them. Those backbenchers and Independent TDs have the chance to do the right thing today. Like me, they heard the heartbreaking stories from other parents whose children, as we speak, are suffering in exactly the same way that Harvey did because of a broken promise by Simon Harris. I have no confidence in CHI and neither does the Minister if she is disbanding it. The buck stops with the Tánaiste. He needs to be held accountable for the broken promise he made to Harvey Sherratt Morrison. I have no confidence in Simon Harris.

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