Government commits to CHI inquiry after meeting Harvey Morrison Sherratt’s parents

The Government has committed to an inquiry into spina bifida and scoliosis care at Children’s Health Ireland (CHI), the parents of Harvey Morrison Sherratt have said following a meeting.

Harvey, who had scoliosis and spina bifida, died in July at the age of nine. He waited years for spinal surgery. During this time, the curve in his spine went from 75 degrees to 130 degrees.

It emerged last year that Harvey had been removed from CHI’s urgent scoliosis surgery waiting list, without his family being informed.

He had his operation in December 2024 but died on July 29th last.

His parents Gillian Sherratt and Stephen Morrison, from Clondalkin in Dublin, had been leading a campaign calling for the resignation of Tánaiste Simon Harris following their son’s death.

In 2017, when he was minister for health, Mr Harris pledged that no child would wait more than four months for scoliosis surgery by the end of that year.

[ Father of Harvey Morrison Sherratt says his son was ‘abandoned’ by disability servicesOpens in new window ]

Speaking after a meeting with Mr Harris and Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll MacNeill on Monday, Ms Sherratt and Mr Morrison said the Tánaiste and Minster had committed to a public inquiry.

“The terms of reference of this inquiry are to be drawn up in collaboration with parental advocacy groups, the Scoliosis Advocacy Network and the Spina Bifida Hydrocephalus Paediatric Advocacy Group, and the Minister for Health and Tánaiste,” Ms Sherratt said.

The couple are due to have a follow-up meeting with Ministers in three weeks’ time.

“We hope that this inquiry will be the start of bringing about real substantial change and bringing some justice for Harvey,” Ms Sherratt said.

Last week it was announced that CHI is to be subsumed into the Health Service Executive (HSE) following months of controversy at the healthcare group.

The operator of paediatric healthcare has faced significant issues in recent months, particularly in relation to the operation of its orthopaedic and spinal services.

Some children with scoliosis received implants with unapproved springs and a number of hip operations were carried out without meeting the clinical threshold for surgery.

Sinn Féin spokesperson on health, David Cullinane said he was giving a cautious welcome to the commitment to today’s news.

The Waterford TD said any such inquiry “must identify all the facts and shine a light on all the failings which delayed care for so many children”.

He praised the “bravery and courage of Harvey’s parent . . . They have shown tremendous dignity in the face of such tragedy, grief and loss.”

“It is also important to note that children are still being failed today. . . We must also fix the broken system and invest in specialist orthopaedic services for children once and for all.”

Labour health spokesperson Marie Sherlock warned that transparency and respect for the process will be crucial to the review and its result.

“The outcome will only be as good as the willingness by clinical staff and management to engage with the inquiry, coupled with their commitment to transforming their own working relationships and improving decision making systems.

“Devastatingly far too many children were caught up in the systems failure across CHI and became caught in the crosswire of a lack of governance, poor management and an awful work culture,” the Dublin Central TD said.