Joan Collins (Dublin South Central, United Left)
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563. To ask the Minister for Health if he will confirm of the 79 patients waiting more than nine months for various procedures including spinal assessment, cast change, full spinal surgery, insertion of growing rods and lengthening of growing rods, the number who have undergone their procedures; and the number of the 103 patients waiting more than six months who have had their procedures. [49645/14]

Joan Collins (Dublin South Central, United Left)
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564. To ask the Minister for Health the number of the 31 patients who had planned dates, as of 20 November 2014, for procedures including spinal assessment, cast change, full spinal surgery, insertion of growing and lengthening rods, who have had their procedures. [49646/14]

Joan Collins (Dublin South Central, United Left)
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565. To ask the Minister for Health the number of spinal cases, that is, scoliosis it has been agreed to carry out in Our Lady's Children's Hospital, Dublin 12 as part of its service level agreement for 2015; and if the agreed SLA include patients waiting more than nine and six months as of 20 November 2014. [49647/14]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 563 to 565, inclusive, together.

Scoliosis in children and young people is predominantly managed at Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital, Crumlin (OLCHC). I am advised that at the end of last year, there were over 160 children in total waiting for spinal procedures. 104 children were waiting longer than 20 weeks and, of these, 51 were waiting longer than a year. It is acknowledged by all that these waiting times are unacceptable and the Children's Hospital Group, OLCHC and the HSE are actively working to address them as quickly as possible and exploring all short, medium and long-term options to increase capacity. I am pleased to say that funding has been allocated in the 2015 Service Plan to facilitate the appointment of an orthopaedic surgeon, anaesthetist and support staff to maximise utilisation of available theatre sessions in OLCHC.

In regard to the specific questions raised, as these are service matters I have asked the HSE to respond directly to you. If you have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days please contact my Private Office and my officials will follow the matter up.