Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)

The case of nine-year-old Harvey Morrison Sherratt exposes profound and systemic failures. This child was left waiting years for essential spinal surgery, then removed from a waiting list without his parents' knowledge or consent.

His experience was by no means unique. The Taoiseach has now committed to a statutory public inquiry into scoliosis and spina bifida services. When will the legislation to establish this inquiry be brought before the Dáil? Can the Taoiseach also confirm that it is parents, families and advocacy groups that will shape the terms of reference for this inquiry? Can I also ask the Taoiseach to confirm that the whistleblower evidence that has come forward, which goes to the very heart of what happened in this service, will form a core part of the inquiry’s work? In the meantime, as this inquiry is being established, what immediate action is the Government taking to ensure that no other child is abandoned in the way that Harvey was?

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