Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour)

The Labour Party certainly welcomes the fact that the Minister for Health has brought a memo to the Cabinet to establish a statutory inquiry into care for children with scoliosis and spina bifida. Again, I express my deepest sympathies to Gillian and Stephen and the family of Harvey Morrison Sherratt, who so tragically died. All of us are concerned to ensure that the newly announced inquiry will be comprehensive and effective in getting to the root of the issues here. As my colleague, Deputy Sherlock, has said, a twin-track approach is needed, first to address the disgraceful failures in respect of children like Harvey, and, second to get a handle on what is continuing to happen for children in the system today. I know all of us hear from families who have been told their child requires surgery, yet are given no date, no confirmation of treatment and no offer of treatment abroad. We also need to hear whether further protected disclosures are being made and what is to happen to children on waiting lists now.

See this speech in context