Danny Healy-Rae Demands Answers on Children's Care Delays
Danny Healy-Rae spoke in the Dáil about delays in treatment for children with spina bifida and scoliosis, demanding an open and frank debate and accountability over a €5 million allocation. He accused the Taoiseach and the Minister for Health of being irresponsible and urged urgent action to reduce waiting times.
Call for debate and accountability
He called for an open and frank debate in the Dáil, warning that children are "crying on our television" and that parents are "worried and demented". He said the matter has been running for "two or three years" and insisted there is "nothing as important as those little children".
Questions over €5 million allocation
He demanded to know who received the "5 million euros" and where the money was spent. A ministerial response stated that the 5 million went from the Health Service Executive to Children's Health Ireland for expenditure in the paediatric hospitals and in CAPA, and that "the money has been allocated" and "it is not a money issue".
Waiting times and treatment options
He highlighted that operations can be had in the UK if families can afford them and warned that children's bodies are "deteriorating daily" while waits continue. The minister acknowledged there is an issue with the length of time and said it needs to be reduced.
Calls for transparency and next steps
The minister suggested contacting Children's Health Ireland or arranging a meeting through an OCTAS Committee on Health, saying the arrangements would be "fully transparent". Danny Healy-Rae urged elected representatives to press for answers and to prioritise timely treatment for affected children.
We publish thousands of recordings to make Irish politics transparent and resistant to manipulation. Spotted an error? Report it — together we are building a reliable archive of Irish politics.
Taoiseach, I'm calling for an open and frank debate here in this house in relation to the treatment of spina bifida children and scoliosis. We're seeing every night children crying on our television and the news. Parents are worried and demented. And these operations can be had in the UK if you have the money. You said that you gave 5 million euros to someone here last week when they were questioned by Deputy MacDonald. Who did you give the money? Where is it? You did see it. And we want accountability for these poor little children that their bodies are deteriorating daily. Yourself and the Minister for Health, they are irresponsible for those little children, those poor little creatures that deserve to live as good and as well and get treatment like everybody else. You are being ambivalent and you are covering for someone or some people and we need to have a debate here and there is nothing as important as those little children. And if we are worth the salt and worth being elected here, we have to raise it and we have to get answers. It has gone on with two or three years now and it has gone on far enough. In terms of Children's Health Ireland, the 5 million went from the Health Service Executive to Children's Health Ireland for expenditure in the paediatric hospitals and in CAPA in terms of further measures. On top of measures already taken to get weighting this down for children with spina bifida, scoliosis and a range of orthopaedic. It was only cent. It was only cent. No. I know. Sorry. The money has been allocated. It is not a money issue. Could I also say that the issue in terms of carbon, the Children's Health Ireland got the money. You can contact them or seek to meet them through an OCTAS Committee on Health or whatever it means. You can meet them and they will go through all of this with you. There is no issue. It will be fully transparent. There is an issue with the length of time and we need to get the length of time reduced. Could I just say… There is nobody going round with the money in their hip pocket. Please, please, can we wait and let the Taoiseach respond. And then back into the fast flight review so you will get roles. You will never work and we will succeed in prating the JUL. How is it again? Well, I am not going to think of enough time to give a injector instead of거�ively, okay? I know every little bit of time is not going down for the while also. I am blessed with my friend, try to give a look at it for me and see their vision down. I am so glad to win my number. You know, if I get fat lifting up itением, it would just be very, very big. Still like you may want to go in and理 your head, high bed. There is no matter where I go with these tips, maybe I go in from Europe or mid-matches and either way there is more than a super min ilmatch or room for what everyone there is… Okay.
Thank you for downloading 🙏
If you publish this material on social media, we would be very grateful if you tagged VideoParliament. It helps us reach more people and keep building a transparent archive of Irish politics.
