Scoliosis and Inquiries: Statements
Dail Éireann — 2026-03-04
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Ruth Coppinger (PBP), Dublin West

I will start with a few questions, which will give the Minister a chance to think about the answers. I will then make a few general points after. The first question relates to Harvey specifically. Across the whole of society, the story of what happened touched a nerve. Why have the head of the spinal management unit, David Moore, or CHI not informed Gillian and Stephen of why Harvey was removed from the scoliosis list? Has the Minister asked that question of CHI?
My second question relates to reports and access to information by all the parties in this process. The Minister and the newly announced counsel, Mr. Remy Farrell, will have access to all the relevant reports, including those that remain unpublished, but the parental advocacy groups representing the affected children will not. It is like sending two teams out with different rule books and different access to information. If the Minister's counsel is entitled to see the full material shaping the inquiry, the legal representatives of those affected should be given the same right. There has to be an equal process. That is my second point.
Third, can the Minister confirm the scoping inquiry will include the voices of the parents and families whose children have died post spinal surgery or while waiting on spinal surgery?

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2026-03-04/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:54:43+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-03-04