17 children in Kilkenny/Carlow awaiting scoliosis treatment says Aontú representative

County Kilkenny’s Aontú candidate, Tom Healy has said that 17 children in Carlow and Kilkenny are waiting on treatment for scoliosis, adding that eight of these are waiting more than six months.

Tom Healy says the figures were released to his party leader, Deputy Peadar Toíbín in response to a parliamentary question.

"The scandal of under-investment in our nation's children needs to be addressed as a matter of national urgency with a dedicated funding line for the treatment of these children. We have all heard our Minister for Health wringing his hands as he admitted that the State has failed the many hundreds of children with Scoliosis. They are forced to endure serious pain and discomfort as scoliosis is an extremely serious condition impacting them and their families,” he said.

“It is completely unacceptable and cruel that these little children have to wait for treatment, despite repeated promises by successive Ministers for Health that they would get to grips with the waiting lists. In February of 2022 the Minister promised that no child would have to wait for more than 4 months by the end of last year.”

"Staff in the health service are struggling to do their best to cope with lack of funding and staffing and ultimately, the buck stops with the Minister for Health and this Government who, it appears, is clearly unable to deal with the situation.”

On October 3, Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health the number of children, per county, who await scoliosis treatment and if he will provide a breakdown of the time spent on the waiting lists, per county.

At the time, the minister responded saying ‘As this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible’.