Aontú to table motion of no confidence in Tánaiste Simon Harris over failure on scoliosis promises

Harvey Morrison Sherratt died in July. He had waited years for spinal surgery.

Aontú will table a motion of no confidence in Tánaiste Simon Harris next week, party leader Peadar Tóibín has confirmed.

Aontú has scheduled the motion to be debated next Wednesday, just two days before polling day in the presidential election on Friday, October 24.

It is understood the Government could table a confidence motion in Mr Harris this week rather than waiting for the Aontú no-confidence motion to be debated next week.

Speaking on Tuesday, Mr Tóibín said the no-confidence motion was due to Mr Harris's previous promises that children would not wait more than four months for a scoliosis operation.

“[Mr Harris] failed significantly in that promise and we have a situation where hundreds of children in that period of time have been forced to wait for far longer than those four months,” Mr Tóibín said.

The Aontú leader said Children’s Health Ireland has “descended into disfunction” since Mr Harris made the pledge in 2017.

Mr Tóibín highlighted incidents where unauthorised springs were implanted into children, as well as incidents where surgery was carried out in unnecessary circumstances.

“We need to get to a situation in this country where there is direct accountability for the actions or inactions of ministers in the Dáil,” Mr Tóibín said.

“We believe if you look at the crisis within CHI and the crisis within the National Children’s Hospital that Simon Harris is not fit to be a minister in this Government and we are calling for his resignation.” 

Mr Tóibín said the issue of scoliosis and CHI was “extremely serious”.

“It goes to the heart of what kind of Government that we want in this country in terms of accountability," he said.

“What has happened in CHI is absolutely shocking, it’s absolutely wrong.

"It’s incredibly detrimental to the lives and to the health of individuals.” 

The decision to bring forward a no-confidence motion comes after a protest movement started following the death of a nine-year-old child with scoliosis and spina bifida, Harvey Morrison Sherratt.

Harvey had waited years for spinal surgery and during this time, the curve in his spine went from 75 degrees to 130 degrees.

However, by the time of his surgery last December, the curve had reached a point where it was not possible to fully correct it. 

Harvey died on July 29.

Harvey’s parents met with Mr Harris and health minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill last month, with it being confirmed the Government would launch an inquiry into spina bifida and scoliosis care at CHI.

After the meeting, Gillian Sherratt said the terms of reference for an inquiry would be drawn up “in collaboration with parental advocacy groups”, including the Scoliosis Advocacy Network and the Spina Bifida Hydrocephalus Paediatric Advocacy Group.