Sarah O'Reilly (Aontú) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the opportunity to speak on this Bill, which Aontú will support in both Houses. It is a pity that the Government's promises have rung so hollow that my colleagues in this House have been forced to introduce a Bill to push the Government legally to fulfil its commitments to people with scoliosis. It is a condition that has severe physical impacts, but it is not just a physical ailment. We know it can also lead to harmful emotional challenges. Prolonged wait times for treatment only exacerbate the condition.

Scoliosis particularly impacts the lives of children and adolescents. As they grow, their bodies are still developing and untreated scoliosis can lead to severe complications, including chronic pain, respiratory issues and reduced mobility. This is happening, unfortunately, to too many of our children.

In 2017, the then Minister for Health, Deputy Harris, promised that no child would wait longer than four months for scoliosis treatment. Last year, in reply to a parliamentary question from Aontú, we learned that 55 people, between Temple Street and Crumlin hospitals, were waiting more than a year for surgery. That is not good enough. Because there is little accountability, Deputy Harris did not have to follow through on this commitments. This Government has refused to cherish the children of the nation equally. It is failing children with scoliosis. We have all seen the headlines and photographs, and the lengths to which people have had to go to highlight their individual traumas. It is an embarrassment that a First World country such as Ireland must resort to passing this legislation to ensure our most vulnerable are protected and treated. It is to our shame that this legislation is required at all. It should not be necessary. I support this Bill because it is a step in the right direction towards improving the quality of life of those affected with scoliosis. I thank the Independent Group for bringing forward the Bill.