648 Spinal Surgeries Cancelled for Children in Ireland Over Five Years

Children's Health Ireland (CHI) has reported 648 cancelled spinal surgery operations over the past five years, with 54 of these cancellations occurring so far this year. The reasons cited for these cancellations include clinical decisions, bed and staff availability, patients being medically unfit, manpower resource limitations, and personal reasons.

This data was obtained by Aontú leader Peadar Tóibín through a Parliamentary Question. CHI acknowledges that cancellations are disappointing and stressful for affected families, causing significant disruption. The organization aims to prevent cancellations whenever possible, but states they are sometimes unavoidable due to factors such as children becoming unwell, emergencies requiring priority, or a lack of available Intensive Care Unit (ICU) beds.

The annual breakdown of cancelled surgeries is as follows: 154 in 2022, 126 in 2023, 150 in 2024, 164 in 2025, and 54 up to March 2026. As of the end of April this year, 205 children were awaiting spinal surgery. The total waiting list in April 2025 comprised 230 patients.

Latest figures for April indicate that 43 children had been waiting up to three months, 29 up to six months, 20 for six to nine months, 11 for nine to 12 months, three for 12 to 15 months, and one child for 15 to 18 months. Additionally, 51 children were temporarily removed from the list due to clinical or personal reasons, or because they were confirmed to receive treatment at another hospital. The uptake of treatment abroad remains low, often due to family preference or follow-up care considerations, with 19 children having received treatment abroad since 2024.