Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail)

I stand here this afternoon to acknowledge Harvey Morrison Sherratt and the absolute tragedy of his death. Harvey’s short life was marked by courage and resilience in the face of spina bifida and scoliosis and I acknowledge that he suffered delays in accessing the care he so desperately needed. To his parents, Gillian and Stephen, your advocacy and strength throughout all this time has brought the attention of the nation to the failings in our children’s health services. Your grief must be heard but I also want to say as somebody who has been in the Department of Health for the past six years, who has worked with many clinicians, nurses, doctors, carers, health and social care workers, no person in healthcare goes to work to do harm. They go to work to help and to heal.

The Tánaiste and the Minister for Health met with Harvey's parents. They listened to the concerns and committed to taking action with an inquiry into scoliosis and spina bifida care. The Minister, Deputy Carroll McNeill, has announced her intention to fully integrate Children's Health Ireland into the HSE, which I 100% endorse. It is a necessary step to ensure we strive to deliver the best healthcare for our children. We must act and we must reform. That is the least that Harvey deserves. The Tánaiste has shown us the courage to lead, even in difficult times.

I believe the Tánaiste acted in good faith. Simon Harris is determined to ensure this Government delivers the changes in reform that are necessary. He is a politician of action and he is working hard to ensure all members of Government deliver for children and deliver for Harvey's memory.

I utterly condemn the abuse, threats, social media rhetoric and vile language the Tánaiste and his family have been subjected to. It has crossed a line.

I express my confidence in the Tánaiste because of my lived experience of working with him for the past ten years. We soldiered together for many years on the cath lab for Waterford, which is state-of-the-art and up and running. We are at the final stage where the final staff for 24-7 care are being recruited. I worked closely with the Tánaiste in delivering a technological university for the south-east, which is hugely important for an area that did not have a university.

I will remember a really low day I had myself when dealing, in 2022, with the Maskey report on Kerry CAMHS and the harm that was caused to 240 children, with 42 of them significantly harmed. I was walking down the corridor after speaking in the Dáil when I met the Tánaiste on the bridge. The Tánaiste stopped me and he said, "Whatever we can do to help, whatever funding is required, you will have it." I thank the Tánaiste for that. I have never forgotten it.

Talk is cheap when we are speaking in this Chamber. Earlier Deputy Conor Sheehan called the Government "clapped out" and "a hollow husk", a phrase we have heard used a lot about the Government. I never come to work clapped out. None of my colleagues ever come to work clapped out. I am not hollow. I am in politics for the right reason to try and do the best I can. The Tánaiste is in politics for the right reason. Every one of my colleagues that I sit with every day of the week come to work to do the best they can. It is so easy, because it strikes me that I had only left the Chamber after being called "clapped out" when a Deputy stopped me to know whether I could do something for him. If I am clapped out, I do not know how I am going to be able to deliver. It is strange.

We have to get on with the work. We have completed only one budget in five. I am encouraged by the opportunity ahead for this Government to deliver.

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