Last year the Government set a target of having no child waiting more than four months for surgery relating to spina bifida or scoliosis, but long waits continue for many.
Last month, the Ombudsman for Children's Office highlighted the case of one child, who they named Ivy, who faced a wait of five years for her own spinal fusion surgery.
Darragh Higgins, who is 11 years old and from Galway, is still waiting for surgery for spina bifida/scoliosis and has not received a review at a clinic for over a year now.
Speaking to RTÉ's This Week, his mother Keara Strcic said treatment for her son is at a standstill.
"It's been kind of a slow process getting any information as to what date Darragh would be getting his surgery.
"We were told that a spinal fusion would be the best option for Darragh. However, we've been given no dates and Darragh actually hasn't even received a review in over a year now."
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Keara said she was never given a specific date for Darragh's surgery.
She said Darragh has only had x-rays and has never been seen in person for his scoliosis.
"We went up to an appointment in March which would have been for his full clinical review, and we waited around until 6pm.
"Then we were told that the doctor had to leave due to a circumstance and Darragh wasn't seen. Then we were given another appointment for a few weeks later.
"We got a call the evening before that Darragh wasn't going to be able to be seen and then just four or five weeks ago, at the beginning of June, we received a letter saying that all complex spinal cases were paused altogether indefinitely, that the consultant would be working with CHI to reallocate Darragh to a consultant and that's kind of where we're at," Ms Strcic said.
Despite waiting for surgery, she said Darragh remains upbeat.
"I try not to share intense details with him because he's a very nice boy. Socially, he's different. He's not physically able to participate in a lot of sports as it is," she said.
Darragh has a highly adapted wheelchair which requires a moulded seat and back rest.
"Darragh should start to be able to start transferring around to, say, chairs and couches by himself, using a banana board.
"But because of his scoliosis, he has to use a moulded back rest which inhibits him from progressing with his independence, so he relies on myself and other people to help when he wants to take some time out of his chair," Ms Strcic said.
In a statement, Children's Health Ireland (CHI) acknowledges that there are lengthy waiting times for some Orthopaedic surgeries and that this is a difficult time for individual children, young people and their families who are waiting for treatment.
"We apologise to our patients and their families who are on our waiting lists. Direct patient and family contact and communication remains a priority for our staff working with our Orthopaedic patients," it said.
290 children awaiting surgery
Meanwhile, Sinn Fein's Health Spokesperson David Cullinane has said there are currently 290 children with scoliosis on long waiting lists for life-changing spinal surgery.
Speaking on RTÉ's This Week, he said over half of those children are waiting for spinal fusion surgery which is complex.
"Those numbers are up by about 25% since 2020."
He criticised the promise that was made by the then Health Minister in 2017 Simon Harris that no child would wait more than four months.
Other health ministers have given similar commitments and promises have been broken, he said.
Deputy Cullinane said €19 million was given for increased capacity but they are still waiting for a fifth surgical theatre to be opened in Temple Street.
