MONEY is not an obstacle when it comes to ending the waiting list problems for children with scoliosis or spina bifida, Tanaiste Micheal Martin has claimed.
The Fianna Fail leader was grilled about the ongoing waiting list issues for paediatric spinal surgeries following a briefing given to TDs and Senators in Leinster House this week.
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Independent TD Richard O’Donoghue told the Dail that he attended the briefing for politicians held by the Scoliosis Advocacy Network and the Spina Bifida & Hydrocephalus Paediatric Advocacy group.
The Limerick TD said the briefing was “the most packed audiovisual presentation in the five years I have been here” where politicians heard stories of families struggle for care that left “not one dry eye in the room”.
During leader’s questions, Deputy O’Donogue pressed the Tanaiste on why the Taoiseach hasn’t met the groups and on funding given to CHI to address the scoliosis surgery wait list.
In response, Tanaiste Micheal Martin admitted that the issue of waiting lists is causing “immense anxiety, stress and trauma for many families”.
He said money is not an issue when it comes to addressing this problem and claimed there have been an increased number of spinal procedures carried out in 2022 and 2023.
However, the Fianna Fail leader added: “I will not go through all the figures because as far as I am concerned it is not enough until every child is enabled to have an operation when it is prescribed by the clinicians that this is the time the child needs the operation.
“That is when the child should get the operation.”
The Tanaiste highlighted the Government’s out sourcing plan which will see dozens of families go abroad to hospital in the US and the UK for operations.
Independent TD Richard O’Donoghue pressed the Tanaiste on children being left in pain waiting for their surgeries as he demanded: “If the issue is not funding or clinical why is it not happening?”
In response, the Tanaiste said that 84 more surgeries were done last year than they were in 2019 pre pandemic.
He said a fifth operating theatre has been opened in Temple Street in October of last year along with a new MRI machine and 24 more bed capacity with extra staff.
Deputy O’Donoghue questioned the figures the Tanaiste had provided on surgeries as he claimed “some of those operations have been done twice” which children who needed repeat operations.
Taoiseach Simon Harris is due to meet with advocacy groups and health officials to discuss the waiting list issues for spinal surgeries in government buildings on October 7.
Our Kids Can’t Wait Campaign
WAITING lists in Ireland have long been a national disgrace.
More than 106,000 children are on hospital waiting lists for all treatments. However, a new source of shame has emerged as 327 children wait for life changing spinal surgeries.
Their conditions are getting worse while they languish on waiting lists.
Such are the delays, many child patients will be outside the therapeutic window when their treatments are approved.
Earlier this month, the Seanad heard how at least one child has become permanently paralysed since the issue was raised publicly before Christmas.
Their plight has been spearheaded by campaigning Senator Tom Clonan, who himself has a child with a disability.
Former Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has even admitted that the health service is failing these kids.
Children are being allowed to deteriorate due to mismanagement, which has allowed the waiting lists to grow.
The Irish Sun’s Kids Can’t Wait campaign aims to shine a light on how the State is failing sick children and give their families a voice.
It will also force the Government to do something to clear the backlog of operations and give these children a chance of living a normal life.
