Patricia Stephenson (Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

We are talking about healthcare but it is important that we remember that this is very much a children's rights issue which was recognised by the Ombudsman for Children. As Senator Clonan explicitly pointed out in his intervention, it is a disability rights issue as well. I hope in this debate and in the eventual implementation of this Bill that there will be a framework of disability and children's rights at its core. We already heard this evening about the waiting lists. They have been going up since December and January. They are creeping up, although I recognise there is an increase in the output of surgery. Children lost their consultants so they do not have a named consultant. As a result, they cannot get onto the waiting lists and they do not have ongoing reviews by a trained consultant so they do not receive a correct diagnosis as early as they should. That means they are not treated in a timely manner, as we already heard. That children do not have orthopaedic consultants is mind boggling in a country as developed and wealthy as Ireland. It should not be accepted as the norm. I thank the Independent Senators for highlighting the children aspect but also the adult aspect. People are ageing out of children's services and might never have received any proper service as children. They are 18 and no longer receive children's services and have extreme challenges as adults, putting their entire futures on hold. I applaud the Senators because there is a huge cohort. They are not small numbers. As we heard, a lot of people do not need surgery as children.When they reach adulthood, they are not getting the correct care.

What we are seeing here, as we have seen in many disability rights issues in Ireland, is that parents, extended family members and guardians are being forced to become advocates. The scoliosis network was founded by two mothers who had children dealing with this. That seems to be the default. We rely on voluntary advocacy networks set up by parents who are screaming at the top of their lungs for what should be a basic right. Senator Clonan’s son is incredibly lucky to have him as a parent, but not all children might have parents who have the advocacy skills and are able to take it this far, to get elected to one of the Houses.