The Government has published its scoping report and recommendation for a Commission of Investigation into child spinal care at Children's Health Ireland.
Parents and advocacy groups have voiced deep concern that the recommended Commission of Investigation falls far short of the Tribunal of Inquiry they sought.
Paul Murphy TD said:
“The recommendation for a Commission of Investigation into the spinal care provided to children with scoliosis and spina bifida falls far short of the independent and public Tribunal of Inquiry that families want. This is yet another failure of patients who have already been failed many times with catastrophic consequences.
“The Commission of Investigation would be restricted to administrative examination of waiting lists, processes and dates. This is far too narrow. The government has paid lip service to the idea of centring the victims of the various scandals in CHI, but has refused to actually do so. They should now be listened to and a Tribunal must be enabled to find out what actually happened to children. It must examine the wider system of care, the progression of their scoliosis, the deterioration of their condition and the impact on their childhood.
“Much of the work of a Commission of Investigation would take place in private. That is not acceptable. The investigation must not shield politicians and senior officials and a Tribunal of Inquiry is necessary to get to the bottom of the systematic failures that left so many vulnerable children with catastrophic consequences.
“One illustration of the shockingly limited remit of the proposed Commission is that the scope for hip dysplasia is being limited to 1 January 2019 to 31 March 2025, while the new procedure was first introduced in 2002! All of these operations should be included.
“In relation to the use of non-medical springs in surgical procedures, the tribunal must look beyond the narrow question of what management knew, to establish how this could have happened.”