Tóibín calls for Harris to resign over handling of boy's scoliosis case
Nine-year-old Harvey, from Clondalkin in Dublin, died on 29 July and had spina bifida and scoliosis.
He had been subject to delays in accessing urgent scoliosis surgery. Harvey's mother said last week that they did not currently have a cause of death.
Last year, Harvey's parents Gillian Sherratt and Stephen Morrison, said that Harvey had been removed from a Children's Health Ireland (CHI) waiting list for urgent scoliosis surgery without their consent or knowledge.
Harvey received spinal surgery in November last year after being first placed on the waiting list in February 2022.
Mr Tóibín wrote to the Cathaoirleach of the Oireachtas Committee on Health, calling for it to be reconvened immediately and for Mr Harris to appear before it.
Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland, Mr Tóibín said Mr Harris failed to keep a promised he made as minister for health in 2017 that no child would be waiting for longer than four months for scoliosis surgery.
"It's a disaster for any parent to lose their child but the circumstances surrounding Harvey's death are particularly heartbreaking given all he had to endure in his short life.
"It's very important in this country that we have some level of accountability and responsibility as well.
"When Simon Harris was minister for health, he promised in 2017 that no child would be left waiting for longer than four months for scoliosis surgery - that's a promise he failed to keep.
"In his own words, he says 'we don't need ministers to defend the indefensible', he said the waiting lists were indefensible.
"And yet we have a situation where Harvey had to spend 33 months on a scoliosis waiting list before he got his surgery.
"He was promised surgery back in 2022, he was meant to have it '23, it was cancelled abruptly and then a year ago Harvey's family found out that he was actually removed from the Children's Health Ireland waiting list without their knowledge."
A spokesperson for Mr Harris said that when Harvey's case was raised first with the Tánaiste, his office immediately contacted the Department of Health and the HSE and asked for immediate clinical attention.
"The Tánaiste expresses his deepest condolences to the family, as he did when he was asked about this matter on Monday," the spokesperson said.
"When this issue was brought to his attention during his time as Taoiseach, his overriding focus was making sure that the proper clinical interventions and consultations were made available.
"He was informed an additional clinical assessment did then take place and surgery was subsequently scheduled."
He added that Mr Harris expects and "has been assured" that the Department of Health, the HSE and CHI will be available to support and engage with the family.
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