Opposition politicians expressed their alarm and shock last night at the sudden death of a child who had cardiac surgery postponed at Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children in Crumlin, Dublin.
The child's death was "extremely shocking" and "a terrible tragedy that requires explanation", Labour's spokesperson on health, Ms Liz McManus, told The Irish Times.
"That this could happen in a tertiary, national hospital where the care is superb is deeply disturbing," Ms McManus said. "This is absolutely tragic for the family concerned, but it is the kind of situation happening when a hospital isn't working at full capacity and full resources."
She continued: "I am extremely concerned that nursing positions are not being filled, and we have to find out from the hospital about their approach to filling these positions. There are issued raised by health professionals who are very conscious of being able to provide a professional service."
Ms McManus said it was important that the Eastern Regional Health Authority should conclude and publish the findings of its report on the death as soon as possible.
Fine Gael's spokesperson on health, Ms Olivia Mitchell, said that the nursing shortages at Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children "did not happen overnight" and had been "well signalled" to the Government.
"It is a nonsense to suggest that it has nothing to do with funding," Ms Mitchell said last night. "The shortage of any specialist professionals is always the result of a failure to plan and a failure to fund.
"Even if there was no known immediate health risk, it is outrageous that children should be called for surgery and then sent home because of a shortage of nurses. The scarcity of care nurses, or any other specialist professionals, coupled with cutbacks which remove all staffing flexibility in hospitals, will inevitably have catastrophic results."
Both politicians expressed their deepest sympathy to the family.
Sinn Féin TD Mr Aengus Ó Snodaigh called the child's death a "devastating tragedy", adding: "This should never have happened. The Government were well aware of the crisis in this hospital, but they failed to act. Now this child's family has paid the ultimate price for the inaction."
Heart Children Ireland, a parent support group for families of children with congenital heart defects, said that cancellations were regular at the hospital. Committee member Mr Shay McConnell said that there had not been a "serious commitment on the part of the Government to rectify the situation that exists at Crumlin".
He added: "Sadly, it's only in tragic cases like this that the current situation gets highlighted. The hospital cannot attract staff and there is a shortage of intensive care unit nurses who are specially trained."
Heart Children Ireland supports 620 families who have children with congenital heart defects throughout the State.
"Over 50 per cent of these children need surgery, and most surgery is carried out at Crumlin. That's over 300 extra operations each year and the Government has not put plans in place to deal with these. Cancellations are happening on a regular basis," Mr McConnell said. "The fact that you think your child may not be getting the best treatment for their illness makes it even harder on parents."
Staff morale was also affected by such tragedies, Mr McConnell noted.