Public Accounts Committee to examine 2023 Financial Statements of Children’s Health Ireland (CHI) and the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF)

The meeting at 10.30am in Committee Room 3 of Leinster House will be joined by the Comptroller and Auditor General, Mr Seamus McCarthy, to discuss the financial statements of Children’s Health Ireland and the National Treatment Purchase Fund Board.

In advance of this engagement, the Committee will begin the meeting at 9:30 to examine new Accounts and Statements which were laid between June 23rd and June 27th, 2025. The Committee will also consider correspondence and other business of the Committee.
 
Speaking ahead of the meeting, Committee Cathaoirleach Deputy John Brady said: “This meeting is the resumption of the Committee of Public Accounts’ examination of the Children’s Health Ireland (CHI) 2023 financial statements in May 2023.”

“Children’s Health Ireland (CHI) was established in 2019 to integrate the paediatric services provided by the former Our Lady’s Hospital Crumlin, Temple Street Hospital and the paediatric services in Tallaght Hospital. The merging of the services was in anticipation of the construction of the new National Children’s Hospital on the St James’s campus, with two linked satellite services located in Tallaght Hospital and in Connolly Hospital in Blanchardstown."

“A key focus of our meeting will be the alleged failures in respect of clinical controls (e.g. medical device implants and the necessity for the number of hip dysplasia operations carried out) as well as delays in carrying out required surgeries.”

“In May 2025, Children’s Health Ireland (CHI) has published the findings of the Independent External Medical Audit into the clinical thresholds for performing pelvic osteotomy surgeries in children with developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) at CHI Crumlin, CHI Temple Street and the National Orthopaedic Hospital in Cappagh (NOHC).”

“The audit reviewed 147 random and anonymous cases across the three hospitals. Based on criteria that had been retrospectively applied for the purpose of the audit, the auditor raised concerns about the indications for surgery in many cases in CHI at Temple Street and NOHC.”

“We will also discuss the ICT transformation projects to ensure electronic patient records (a national health service pilot project), material non-compliant procurement, the settlement with the former CEO of CHI and other legal costs incurred during 2023.”

“We will also meet with representatives from the National Treatment Purchase Fund Board (NTPF) to discuss CHI and Beaumont funding suspensions in 2025 and Governance arrangements surrounding funding.”

Watch the meeting live here or on the Oireachtas smartphone app for Apple and Android.