Colm Keaveney (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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736. To ask the Minister for Health when a child (details supplied) in County Galway will receive an appointment for critical orthopaedic surgery to treat an 80o+ scoliosis curve; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37750/15]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Under the Health Act 2004, the Health Service Executive (HSE) is required to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. Section 6 of the HSE Governance Act 2013 bars the Minister for Health from directing the HSE to provide a treatment or a personal service to any individual or to confer eligibility on any individual.

The Saolta University Healthcare Group has assured my Department that the waiting list for such surgery is a high priority and that Galway University Hospital has been actively working to ensure that the necessary arrangements are in place in order to facilitate the level of complexity involved. In particular, significant progress is being made in relation to ensuring the required resources are in place in the context of bed availability, access to diagnostics, purchase of specialist spinal equipment and access to theatre. My Department is informed that the waiting list for spinal surgery at Galway University Hospital currently comprises thirteen patients, that one scoliosis patient was treated between January and May 2015 and that 3 scoliosis patients have been treated since May 2015.

In relation to the particular query raised, as this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly. 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.