David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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749. To ask the Minister for Health for confirmation that the legal instructions issued by her predecessor and contained in a letter titled ‘Directions from Minister of Health to the Executive under section 10 of the Health Act 2004’, which issued in January 2025, were carried out in full; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31837/25]

David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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750. To ask the Minister for Health whether she has received any update from the HSE Board on its response to the legal instructions that issued from her predecessor in January 2025, and were contained in a letter titled ‘Directions from Minister of Health to the Executive under section 10 of the Health Act 2004’; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31838/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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Paediatric spinal services are a priority under the Waiting List Action Plan and are overseen by the Waiting List Action Plan Taskforce.

In recent years significant investment of over €30m has been allocated to help tackle waiting lists for spinal procedures. Several initiatives are underway to help improve access to services including a ringfenced theatre, additional outpatient clinics, and national and international outsourcing to maximise capacity.

The Paediatric Spinal Services Management Unit, led by a Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon, and supported by wider Multi-Disciplinary Teams, ensures patients are prioritised correctly for surgery and works to reduce waiting times.

On 21 January 2025, under Section 10 of the Health Act, the former Minister directed the HSE to ensure that all children on the active waiting list at the end of 2024, who were waiting more than 4 months, are to be offered treatment abroad. International outsourcing arrangements are in place with Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital in New York and Great Ormond Street Hospital in London. Since these initiatives started, 16 patients that were considered suitable have had surgery completed outside of Ireland. CHI has advised that a further 8 procedures are due to be internationally outsourced this year, and additional patients may be deemed clinically suitable for surgery abroad as the year progresses.

My Department remains actively engaged with the HSE and CHI to ensure that activity is maximised to the fullest extent possible.