‘The implications are disturbing', Martin says when grilled in Dail on claims made about unnecessary child hip surgeries

The Irish Sun

13-05-2025

TAOISEACH Micheal Martin has said there are 'disturbing' implications if some of the claims made about unnecessary child hip surgeries are true.
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Mr Martin said that the possible implications of the report are 'disturbing'
Credit: Niall Carson/PA Wire
The audit was carried out after
The Taoiseach told the Dail that the audit was at 'an advanced stage' and warned against worrying parents through a 'drip feed' of information.
Sinn Fein leader
'We've been raising it with you, conscious of all of those parents who are now asking themselves, was my child operated on (unnecessarily)? How could this have happened and what are the consequences now?'
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She accused the Government and Children's Health Ireland of having 'stonewalled' parents.
Taoiseach
He said he was conscious of the 'anxiety and concern' from parents as surgery for a child is traumatic for that family.
But he said that 'bits of information here and there' would only add to parents' worry.
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He added: 'Anything we do in here must be done with that in mind, that we're very conscious of anxiety that can be added to or created by anything we say, or by piecemeal information or by drip feed, in respect of this issue.
'To me, an experience tells me that when you ask someone to do an external audit, independently of politicians and of government, just let them finish their work.'
'DISTURBING'
Asked again about the issue by Aontu leader Peadar Toibin, Mr Martin said that the possible implications of the report are 'disturbing'.
'The implications are disturbing, if indeed some of the assertions come home to be the case, or emerge to be truthful.
'I think there are issues already, as I outlined in an earlier reply, changes to practice and protocols has occurred in terms of multidisciplinary approach, in terms of pre-operative assessment, and that clearly wasn't there, it seems, in advance of this.'
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.