Ombudsman demands Government honour pledge on scoliosis surgery for children

The Ombudsman for Children, Niall Muldoon, said: "This is a promise they made to these children and it has been repeatedly broken with devastating consequences.” File picture: Maxwells

The Ombudsman for Children, Niall Muldoon, has called on the government to “honour its commitment” it made seven years ago to reduce scoliosis surgery waiting times for children to no longer than four months.

Last Friday, the parents of Harvey Sherratt (8), Clondalkin, Dublin, a patient at Temple Street Children’s Hospital, told how an 83 degree curve on their son’s spine, initially diagnosed when he was aged one, was threatening his life as it had resulted in his ribcage “crushing one of his lungs’ and “pushing on his heart”.