I welcome the announcement that a facilitator, Mr. Remy Farrell SC, has been appointed to the scoping exercise and terms of reference for the public inquiry into the spina bifida and scoliosis services. Over the next 16 weeks, I look forward to families engaging with Mr. Farrell to inform the structure of the inquiry. I am a firm believer that when it comes to public inquiries, we must take into account the views of those who have lived through these things first-hand. Across Carlow, Kilkenny and the country at large, there are families who have been let down by paediatric spinal services. If we are to fully come to terms with the issue, we must allow them the space to tell their story. As we carry out this process, I am heartened to see the Government's commitment to a human rights-based, patient-centred and trauma-informed approach, which will allow for the most transparent examination possible of the issue. I look forward to engaging in due course with the formal report of Mr. Farrell, which will come before the Government in the near future. We have all become aware of the shortcomings of the paediatric services offered to spinal patients in this country in the past. The number of paediatric spinal surgeries cancelled due to emergency surgeries or a shortage of ICU beds increased every year between 2022 and 2025. In recent months, I have raised in this Chamber the case of a young child in my own constituency who had been on the surgery waitlist for a period of over two years. Following on from a successful first surgery, this child's second surgery was cancelled due to an emergency presenting at the hospital. At the time, I reflected that while it was maybe easy for an outsider to accept this, to a parent there is no greater emergency than the health and well-being of their child. Following representations to the HSE and the Department of Health, that child received her surgery without any further undue wait, and she is in good health and care now. That is a testament to the hard-working staff in the HSE and the hospital. With that in mind, and thinking of the incredible healthcare professionals we have working in Ireland today, I know how difficult it must be to tell parents that their child's needs are not urgent enough. Paediatric spinal services have not been adequate for a large number of families, but it is important to recognise that progress is being made. Waiting lists are being shortened. Delivery is being boosted for children and parents across the country. GP referral pathways are being improved. Greater numbers of orthopaedic surgeons are being brought into the network. Thankfully, the Minister for Health has led by introducing a central referral process for patients. This will ensure children are seen in the right location by the right consultants and as timely as possible. The work being done by the Government and the Minister, Deputy Carroll MacNeill, is borne out in the facts. Waiting times across the board for spinal surgeries are going down. Fewer children are waiting a long time for their surgeries. This has been achieved in the face of rising demand for these surgeries. While progress is undoubtedly being made, there will always be more that needs to be done. Over the coming weeks and months, I look forward to seeing the Government build on the progress that has already been made to shorten waiting times and to improve outcomes for the children who need our support the most.

Sentiment score: 0.21