Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald has said there must be political accountability for the failures at Children's Health Ireland.
Ms McDonald said today's report into spinal surgeries amounts to a litany of failures.
An independent statutory review of the use of unapproved implantable springs in spinal surgery at Temple Street Children's University Hospital found devices were implanted into three children and that "children were not protected from the risk of harm".
The review said the use of these devices for scoliosis patients was wrong.
Ms McDonald said concerned families and advocates were met by a brick wall while the failures at CHI were known to the Government for years.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin said it is beyond comprehension that springs, which are not permitted, were used in surgery.
There were procedures in place, but they were bypassed, he told the Dáil.
Watch: Mary Lou McDonald calls for political accountability for failures at CHI
Mr Martin said there is a limit to what politicians can do when it comes to overseeing doctors' individual actions in surgical theatres.
"Let's call a spade a spade, there has to be individual responsibility," he said.
"You do not use unauthorised devices on any child, and that is at the heart of it."
Report outlines 'outlines a litany of failure'
Sinn Féin's Health Spokesperson David Cullinane has accused previous health ministers of "having their heads in the sand for years".
Speaking on RTÉ's Drivetime, he said: "Bear in mind this report goes back seven years. It spans two Ministers for Health, Simon Harris and Stephen Donnelly.
"It outlines a litany of failure, so it shouldn't be that any minister is expressing shock or horror. And if that's the case, then their heads were in the sand for the last number of years.
"I don't believe there is any excuse for any report from any hospital which says that patients, and especially children, were not protected from the risk of harm."
Mr Cullinane said that today’s report from HIQA should have been broadened to examine other existing issues.
"I think it would have been better if the HIQA review had been widened and I called for that review to look more widely.
"We now have the issue of hip dysplasia, and very real concerns in relation to that, that's also at Children's Health Ireland.
"We want our children to get the very best healthcare, and when that trust is in any way eroded, of course it raises concerns."
Mr Cullinane added that he did not believe the position of the board and executive team of CHI was tenable.
"I think there will have to be very, very big changes right across the board at CHI."
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