‘Money was steered away from children with scoliosis and spina bifida’: parents angry at ‘misspent’ €19m fund

They send dossier to HSE auditors over funds sent to Children’s Health Ireland hospitals group

Stephen Donnelly has asked HSE auditors to look into the spending

Maeve Sheehan

Parents of children with spina bifida and scoliosis sent a dossier to HSE auditors outlining concerns over alleged “anomalies” in how a €19m fund for children’s spinal surgeries was spent by the children’s hospital group.

Health Minister Stephen Donnelly lent weight to the parents’ concerns when he confirmed last week that most of the €19m he allocated for spina bifida and scoliosis care had been spent elsewhere.