More than 1,000 people take to streets of Dublin for Harvey Morrison

More than one thousand people marched through the streets of Dublin to call for justice for a young child who died after dealing with long delays for scoliosis surgery.

Nine-year-old Harvey Morrison, who had scoliosis and spina bifida, died on July 29.

His parents, Stephen Morrison and Gillian Sherratt, said their son waited for years for spinal surgery, during which time the curve in his spine went from 75 degrees to 130 degrees.

By the time Harvey received spinal surgery last December, the curve had reached the point where it could not be fully corrected.

The curve caused his rib cage to twist around his lungs and heart, severely restricting his breathing.

His parents, opposition politicians and campaigners have called for the Tanaiste and former minister for health, Simon Harris, to step down, after he pledged in 2017 that no child would wait more than four months for scoliosis treatment.

Speaking at the Justice for Harvey rally in Dublin, Ms Sherratt said that her son was forced to spend the majority of his life waiting for treatment.

“Harvey’s painfully short life was very much a rollercoaster. There were a lot of low times but the highs were what kept us going,” she told the large crowd at Custom House.

“We often called Harvey our easy child, as despite how complex he was, he was also just so laid back and took everything on the chin.

“Harvey spent the majority of life waiting. He was made to wait for everything but he asked for nothing.

“All he wanted was his iPad, his Hunky Dorys, the odd lollipop and timely access to healthcare.

“To us, that seems like so little to ask. We could provide him with most things. We could ensure that almost all his needs were met, but we unfortunately didn’t control all aspects of his healthcare.

“Despite doing everything we could, despite begging for help, we didn’t have the final say.

“CHI (Children’s Health Ireland) has not only failed to met their basic needs, but they appear to he protecting those that indirectly or directly caused harm.

“Harvey was nine. He waited 33 months for scoliosis surgery and, in that time the curve in his spine went from 75 degrees to 130. He had to have his whole life put on hold while he waited.

“We cancelled family holidays, cancelled our wedding, postponed his sister’s heart surgery as he sat and waited for a date for surgery.

“We had to watch him deteriorate, cry in pain, struggle to breathe and lose the sparkle in his eye over those 33 months.

“Most importantly it robbed him of his childhood, it robbed him of his comfort, robbed him of quality of life and robbed us of the opportunity to make precious family memories with him.

“That is something we will never get over. This is why we will continue to advocate.

“What we have been through, what Harvey has lived through, is soul-destroying. We will keep pushing in hope that no family will have to face what we did.

“This is something we vow to continue in his death.”

Among those attending Saturday’s march were People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy, Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald, Aontu leader Peadar Toibin and Senator Tom Clonan.

Mr Murphy and Mr Toibin were among those to call for Mr Harris to resign.

Mr Toibin has vowed to table a motion of no confidence in Mr Harris “at the earliest opportunity”.

Ms McDonald said Mr Harris needs to be accountable for his “absolute failure” to meet the commitment he made in 2017.

Asked if she will support a motion of no confidence in the Tanaiste, Ms McDonald said it should be done on a cross-party basis among opposition parties.

Mr Morrison thanked the demonstrators.

“We would like to say a massive thank you for everyone’s support over the last few weeks. The level of support has been absolutely overwhelming,” he said.

“We are here to call for justice for Harvey and all the other kids continuing to be failed by Children’s Health Ireland (CHI) and the state.

“Harvey was our first child. He is the one that made us parents, he made us a family and he made us into the people we are today.

“He showed us how to be brave, how to be patient, courageous and kind. Today we hope we make him proud.”

His parents are leading a campaign and have called for a public inquiry into governance at CHI.

Mr Toibin said: “I believe that the heartbreaking passing of Harvey can be a turning point in Irish society, one that makes real the objective of the proclamation of the Republic to make sure every child in this country is cherished.”

Mr Murphy said that Harvey has become a symbol for all the children “badly failed” by the state.

“For the hundreds of others waiting for necessary surgeries for scoliosis and being failed by the CHI.

“For all the other children, and other aspects of the CHI who are failed but the hundreds of kids who will not have appropriate school places come September.

“Harvey is a symbol for all of that.

“It’s a failure of CHI, the Government and the State and a failure of Simon Harris.”