Astonishing 33% increase in children waiting longer than six months for spinal surgery appointment – David Cullinane TD

Sinn Féin spokesperson on Health, David Cullinane TD, has expressed alarm that the number of children waiting over six months for spinal surgery has increased by 33% since December 2024, from 36 to 48 (+12).

The TD for Waterford said that the continued failure to deliver on promises to children and the dysfunction in Children’s Health Ireland (CHI) shows that the government’s approach to healthcare is not working. He called for a full reset at CHI and a major shift in Government health policy.

Teachta Cullinane said:

“It is astonishing that there are now 48 children waiting longer than six months for a spinal surgery appointment. At the end of 2024, there were 36 children waiting over six months.

“Last year, the government committed that no more than 20 children would be left waiting longer than four months on spinal surgery lists by the end of 2024. This target was missed, and Children’s Health Ireland still does not publish data on the four-month target.

“It is now more than eight years since Simon Harris gave a commitment that no child would be waiting longer than four months for spinal surgery – eight years of broken promises.

“All of the dysfunction in Children’s Health Ireland, the HIQA report, potentially hundreds of unnecessary hip surgeries on children, and a complete inability after eight years to meet a single promise on one waiting list shows that the Government’s approach to children’s healthcare is not working.

“There needs to be a full reset in Children’s Health Ireland, the Board needs to be stood down, and there must be a major shift in Government policy towards urgent strategic investment in public healthcare.”