Families vow to pursue ‘every avenue’ for inquiry into children's care at CHI hospitals

Transport minister Darragh O'Brien and Health minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill at the opening of a HSE surgical hub in Dublin on Monday. Picture:  Stephen Collins/Collins

Families whose children have spina bifida or scoliosis will use “every avenue”, including further protest marches, to secure a fair inquiry into their children’s care, one mother said on Monday.

Two advocacy groups at the weekend quit preparations for a Government inquiry into scoliosis and spina bifida care at CHI, describing the process as “flawed”.

On Monday, health minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill called on parents to engage with the independent facilitator examining issues at CHI.

The Government confirmed in 2025 that it would launch a statutory inquiry. Senior Counsel Remy Farrell was appointed this year to engage with stakeholders on scoping the terms of reference for the inquiry.

However, two groups representing around 900 affected families — the Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus Paediatric Advocacy Group and the Scoliosis Advocacy Network — have written to the minister saying they “cannot support her flawed scoping process”, which they claim hinders a full and transparent investigation.

Speaking at an opening of a HSE surgical hub in Dublin, Ms Carroll MacNeill said: "We haven't committed to any form of (inquiry). This whole process with the facilitator is to look at what sort of statutory inquiry [would be established], and of course, there are a range of different models. We've never been pre-emptive in relation to that. 

She said: "The Government made a decision that we would hold a statutory inquiry into the issues connected with CHI. 

"I think there are eight different advocacy groups, and Remy Farrell has been engaging with nearly all of those. There is one in particular that haven't engaged. 

"He is absolutely available to engage with them and would welcome engagement. He has written to them a number of times, looking for engagement. 

"We would encourage that.” 

The terms were extended to include children represented by the hip dysplasia advocacy group, said Ms Carroll MacNeill.

Responding to that call, Amanda Coughlan of the Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus Paediatric Advocacy Group said: "We just want what was promised but this is not it." 

She added: "This was never meant to be adversarial, never meant to be a row. This was meant to be child-centred.” 

A key issue centres on up to 12 unpublished internal reviews or communications that the groups want CHI to release, including the 2017 Dickson report, which opposition politicians have also repeatedly sought.

Ms Coughlan cautioned issues in these reports may be excluded from the inquiry.

“We will use every avenue available to us to highlight the wants and needs of these families,” she said.

“So legal avenues if we have to go the legal route, marching through Dublin again, and anything we need to do — we will leave no stone unturned.”

Large crowds gathered last summer to mark the death of nine-year-old Harvey Morrison Sherratt, whose parents support the stance taken by the advocacy groups. They have frequently raised questions about waiting list management in CHI hospitals.

Social Democrats health spokesperson Pádraig Rice said the withdrawal of the groups from the inquiry process was "a mess of the Minister for Health’s own making".

Meanwhile, the paediatric spinal taskforce has not met since last September. The minutes of that meeting have not yet been approved, Ms Carroll MacNeill recently confirmed to Sinn Féin health spokesman David Cullinane.