Social Democrats TD Pádraig Rice has described confirmation that Children’s Health Ireland (CHI) is to be integrated into the HSE by 2027 as an inevitable consequence of the organisation’s litany of failures.
Deputy Rice, who is the party’s health spokesperson, said:
“This is welcome news, but hardly a surprising development given the succession of controversies which have engulfed CHI in recent years.
“Report after report has shown serious governance issues at CHI and a litany of failings that have compromised the care of young patients. These include ever increasing spinal surgery waiting lists, unnecessary hip surgeries carried out on children, and the use of unauthorised springs in some spinal surgeries.
“An internal report also raised grave concerns about a negative staff culture at a CHI hospital, which found it had the potential to put patients at risk. In addition, that review also revealed a number of issues in relation to the use of National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) waiting list initiatives.
“Furthermore, we are still waiting for the Nayagam review into children’s spinal surgeries at CHI hospitals, which was commissioned in 2023.
“Families and children have paid the price for CHI’s repeated failures. Having an entirely separate entity from the HSE overseeing the new National Children’s Hospital would not be an appropriate structure. Recent events have only strengthened the argument for direct HSE control.
“We should be moving away from the complex structures of the past – not engraining more into the health service.
“While today’s news is most welcome, we need further clarity on the transitional arrangements and a timeline for when the Minister for Health intends to bring the necessary legislation before the Oireachtas.”
September 24, 2025