WITH THE DÁIL returning after the summer break, proceedings during Leaders’ Questions were dominated by a debate around children with scoliosis and spina bifida. 

The discussions comes after Taoiseach Micheál Martin was confronted by a Cork mother at his party think-in on Monday. 

Antoinette Burke, whose daughter Katie has cerebral palsy, a dysplastic hip, twisted femur and retroverted pelvis asked for help from the government this week, with Martin confirming yesterday that he has referred her case to the head of the HSE. 

The Taoiseach told the Dáil today that he plans to meet with Antoinette and Katie this week. 

Harvey Morrison Sherratt

Sinn Féin Leader Mary Lou McDonald raised the case of nine-year-old Harvey Morrison Sherratt, who died in July after waiting eight years for surgery on his ribs which were crushing his lungs.

She said: “Harvey’s story is not an isolated case. Such failures are shamefully a hallmark of your government. Harvey’s battle with scoliosis was a race against the clock. It’s the same for every one of these children.”

Harvey was born the year Simon Harris was appointed Minister for Health, she said, outlining how in 2017, when Harvey was just one years old, his parents were told that his ribs were crushing his lungs. 

“That same year, Simon Harris promised that no child would wait more than four months for spinal surgery,” said McDonald.

Responding, the Taoiseach offered his deepest condolences to Harvey Morrison Sherratt’s family and parents, Gillian and Stephen.

“No words of condolence or consolation to Harvey’s parents are enough. It is an extraordinarily traumatic thing to happen any family, but in these circumstances even more traumatic in terms of the experiences the family and Harvey had with the hospitals and the clinical world itself, and it is unacceptable,” he said.

He told the Dáil that the Minister of Health Jennifer Carroll MacNeill has asked for a multidisciplinary report on the chronology from CHI regarding its involvement in Harvey’s care and the key milestones as recorded on the CHI’s hospital records.

“The HSE CEO received this draft report in August and has shared that report with Harvey’s parents as well as with the Minister for Health. My understanding is that the Minister for Health and Tánaiste are due to meet Harvey’s parents in the near future,” said Martin.

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Anger from parents 

“I understand fully the anger and the absolute frustration felt by the parents and by other families who do not receive surgical intervention at the right time for their child,” said the Taoiseach.

He said these cases all come under the broader issue of scoliosis, where he added very significant resources have been allocated by government.

“Sometimes the issue is the translation of those resources to outcomes is a key issue for us,” said Martin, who added that there have been a number of reports into CHI.

“We are not happy with everything that has happened in CHI,” said the Taoiseach, who said stronger supports are being given to CHI to create additional capacity in the immediate future.

However, McDonald said that things are not getting better, despite these promises, telling the Dáil that 135 children are on waiting lists without a date for their surgery, up from 108 since the start of the year.

“40 of these children are waiting six months or more – just for a date, not even for the surgery itself. This neglect of children with scoliosis and spina bifida must end and must end now,” said the Sinn Féin leader.