Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein)
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1153. To ask the Minister for Health if he will meet a group (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25023/16]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I intend to meet with Scoliosis Awareness and Support Ireland, and a number of other advocacy groups on the 19 September 2016. I look forward to hearing their views on the provision of scoliosis services.

Scoliosis affects approximately 1% of children and adolescents in Ireland. The management of scoliosis is complex and is determined by the severity of the curvature and skeletal maturity.

Long waiting times for scoliosis surgery are not acceptable, and my Department has been working closely with the HSE to address services pressures, particularly in Our Lady's Children's Hospital Crumlin (OLCHC), which is the largest provider of scoliosis surgery for children and young people. Additional funding of €1.042m was allocated under the 2015 Service Plan to increase capacity at OLCHC, and an additional orthopaedic surgeon, anaesthetist, and support staff, are now in place with recruitment of a further additional orthopaedic surgeon underway. Capital funding was also provided for a new theatre on site to expand theatre capacity further, and this is currently being commissioned. The Children's Hospital Group is proactively working on nurse recruitment to support the opening of the new theatre.

My Department will continue to work with the HSE and the relevant hospitals to ensure improvements in access to spinal surgery.