The Tánaiste and I met with the parents of Harvey Morrison Sherratt along with other advocacy groups and their legal representatives who have been calling for a public statutory inquiry into the spina bifida and complex scoliosis services at Children’s Health Ireland (CHI). Arising from those discussions, I brought a Memo to Government on 18th November to proceed with a statutory public inquiry into spina bifida and complex scoliosis services and this was approved by cabinet.
As an initial step, a facilitator will be appointed to consult with stakeholders and assist in defining the scope and potential terms of reference for an inquiry. I am actively engaging with the Attorney General and key stakeholders to appoint a senior counsel who will lead the scoping exercise. I aim to confirm the facilitator as soon as possible so that this important process can begin.
This will be a time-bound exercise, but there is a considerable body of work to be undertaken to ensure that we ultimately have the clearest possible terms of reference for a statutory inquiry. It is important that the many issues raised are carefully considered as to what may be the best way to achieve the outcomes sought by families and other stakeholders.
Once this scoping exercise is complete, further Government approval will be sought for the final terms of reference.
In relation to interim measures, several initiatives are underway to help improve access to services including a ringfenced theatre, additional outpatient clinics, and national and international outsourcing to maximise capacity.
As of end 2025, 47% of patients on the CHI active waiting list were within the Sláintecare targets. Additionally, the Weighted Average Wait Time for inpatient procedures fell significantly from 5.9 months in December 2024 to 4.2 months in December 2025, an improvement of 1.7 months. Only 3% of those on the active list were waiting over 12 months, which is an improvement against last year when 11% of patients were waiting over 12 months. At the end of December, there were no IPDC (inpatient day case) patients waiting over 24 months.
There was also a 46% reduction in the new outpatient waiting lists since start of year. The Weighted Average Wait Time for new outpatients fell significantly from 9.7 months in December 2024 to 3.9 months in December 2025. At the end of December, there were no patients waiting over 12 months for an outpatient appointment.
The Paediatric Spinal Services Management Unit, led by a Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon, and supported by wider Multi-Disciplinary Teams, ensures patients are prioritised correctly for surgery and works to reduce waiting times.
