The parents of children with scoliosis and spina bifida who have been waiting years for operations would have been listening intently to the Taoiseach's budget yesterday. They would have been listening in the hope that he might finally hear their calls for action and deliver the investment and change that their children so desperately need so that they might get their surgeries to end the nightmare of being stuck on a waiting list or struck off one. Although the budget book has 168 pages, there is no mention of these children with scoliosis and spina bifida, nor a single line outlining a specific solution.
Despite the hype around this budget, children with scoliosis will continue to wait in pain, to deteriorate and to run out of time. I am speaking about children like 13-year-old Darragh Higgins from Galway. Darragh was born with spina bifida and has been waiting for surgery for five years. He has been lost in a system that has failed him. His condition is ever-worsening. His spinal curve is now 120°. His mother Keara posted a video on social media last week telling Darragh's story. Darragh's scoliosis is now crushing his lungs, his bowels and his heart. Keara, his mother, tweeted "My son never had heart issues until his scoliosis was left to crush his body!" She is worried and terrified. Her big fear is that Darragh will become inoperable, just as other children have become inoperable as they waited and waited. Keara has been waiting for surgical intervention, a surgical plan and communication on her son's scoliosis treatment for far too long. He has been assessed for surgery in the United States but there is still no clarity as to if or when Darragh will have the operation and if it will go ahead. There is no clarity on travel plans, costs or length of stay. They have been given nothing in writing and are now wracked with uncertainty.
There are concerns that if Darragh and other children with spinal curvatures and complex medical needs travel, they might be asked to do so in economy seats on flights. I do not know if the Taoiseach has seen Darragh's video. He has. He could not possibly expect a young lad in that situation to be crammed into an economy seat for a transatlantic flight. Some children like Darragh have to be repositioned so they do not get pressure sores that would prevent them from getting the surgery they need when they land in America. This needs to be sorted out pronto.
As Members will know, last week, ahead of the budget, parents of children with scoliosis and spina bifida came to a briefing in the Oireachtas audiovisual room. A 14-year-old boy, a wonderful young man called Tommy Long, addressed the meeting. During his time on the waiting list, this child has been through it all. He said that it was extremely disappointing to have seen no improvement for him or for the hundreds of other children with scoliosis over the last ten years.
Mar thoradh ar an mbuiséad seo, leanfaidh leanaí le scoliosis agus spina bifida ag fulaingt agus iad ag fanacht ar obráidí. Here is my question for the Taoiseach. He made no mention of these children in his budget. Where is the funding to finally deliver on the promise that no child would wait? That promise was made a long time ago and has been broken many times. Where is the money to make sure that Darragh gets to the United States and gets the treatment he needs? Where are the funding and resources to look after all of the other children who are currently suffering in agony?