‘We have a new man today’: Waterford child fast-tracked for dental treatment after Dáil discussion
Tiernan Power Murphy, a 6 year old child from Waterford who has autism spectrum disorder.
A 6-year-old autistic child from Waterford who was advised he could have to wait for up to 10 years for urgent dental care was fast-tracked to receive care following a recent discussion in the Dáil between An Taoiseach Micheál Martin and the President of Sinn Féin.
Tiernan Power Murphy (6), who has Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), was brought into hospital on Thursday, March 6, to have three teeth extracted.
"We have a new man today", Tiernan's father Éamon Murphy said on Waterford Local Radio's, Déise Today show following the successful dental visit to remove teeth that were causing him "unbelievable" pain.
"We went down to Cork [Thursday] morning, and he was out within about half an hour. He didn't know what had happened, God love him."
Following the surgery, the brave Déise lad was looking for some familiar favourites, Weetabix and toast: "That's all he wanted!"
"He's hopping around outside now, a different child," said Mr Murphy.
He thanked the team at WLR FM for highlighting his son's story: "Thanks to everyone who was involved. [Minister of State] Mary Butler rang me there yesterday, fair play to her, to check in on him."
"Please God, they'll have something in place down the line for other families who encountered similar situations needing urgent dental care," Tiernan's father said, describing the feeling following the surgery as like hitting the lotto.
The leader of Sinn Féin, Deputy Mary Lou McDonald raised Tiernan's plight in the Dáil and Déise TD David Cullinane worked to intervene with the HSÉ on the case.
“He has been living in severe pain since last October. He needs three teeth removed,” Deputy McDonald said. “Tiernan's parents have been told that their little boy could be waiting up to ten years for this procedure.”
“This news was broken to them by a public dentist. Tiernan lives in such daily agony that he can barely chew food or sleep," she said.
The opposition leader read a statement from Tiernan's father onto the Dáil record: “He is usually the best in the world, usually the happiest fellow. Now to see him like this, not eating properly, afraid to eat because it hurts to chew, screaming and throwing himself to the ground, hitting himself, it is horrible for him.”
The Sinn Féin leader issued a strong plea that: “No child should be left in such a terrible, traumatic situation.”
“No parent should have to watch their child endure this agony," she said.
"My colleague, Teachta David Cullinane, has contacted the HSE on Tiernan's case. A solution needs to be found for this child and it needs to be found quickly," she added.
The Sinn Féin President pointed to the national waiting list crisis, missing Sláintecare targets significantly, whereby more than 7,000 children are currently waiting for longer than 12 months for treatment and 1,100 children waiting more than four years for care. She then questioned Taoiseach Martin: “What action will the Taoiseach take in relation to Tiernan Power Murphy?”
An Taoiseach agreed with the Sinn Fein leader: “It is absolutely unacceptable that a young child in these circumstances, Tiernan Power Murphy, should be denied urgent oral healthcare and dental healthcare in terms of the extraction of teeth.” He said that the fact the Waterford boy has autism exacerbated the unacceptable nature of situation.
The Taoiseach said that Waterford’s Fianna Fáil TD, Minister of State Mary Butler, had been in touch with and spoken to the HSE with regard to this case, and that the HSE was now engaging with the family on the matter and that "a solution will be found immediately in respect of this specific case, as it should be".
Deputy McDonald called on An Taoiseach to directly intervene himself in the case to ensure that adequate care is promptly delivered, and accused the leader of the government of “not recognising the problem or his part in it", commenting: "The Taoiseach is not a commentator; he has been in government for a very considerable period.”
