The Minister for Health has said the audit of dysplasia of the hip surgery in children states "very clearly" that there is a "problem within CHI".
An independent clinical audit of dysplasia of the hips (DDH) surgery in children at a number of hospitals has found that a number of the surgeries were unnecessary at Temple Street and Cappagh hospitals.
The review also found a lower threshold was used to decide on surgery at the two hospitals.
Speaking on RTÉ's Six One Programme, Jennifer Carroll MacNeill said the problem is "not reflected across neurology or endocrinology or oncology, it is within this orthopedic system".
This, she said, "particularly" pertains to Temple Street and Cappagh.
"Different papers or different theories or different explanations were advanced to the auditor, who is an international expert in this field, and he very clearly says that these are not reasonable explanations and that he does not accept them," she said.
The auditor, she said, was "very clear in his analysis that those explanations were not justified".
"That now is a matter as far as I'm concerned for the surgeons, employers, for their medical council - those are appropiate follow-up steps in those instances," she added.
The minister said her responsibility "is to make sure that CHI is equipped to deal with the oversight, governance, clinical and cultural issues that have to change".
"I am making significant changes next week," she said.
Ms Carroll MacNeill said she will bring the terms of reference for the establishment of an expert panel to review the cases in the report to Cabinet "next week".
She added the panel will be set up "as quickly as possible within the very short next period".
But she said given the "volume of cases and the need to review them", she anticipates the proces "will take a number of months".
The minister said it is "important" that parents have "follow-up, that they know that their child is getting proper care and that they get to find out whether or not the surgery that was done on their child was appropriate or not".
"Next week every parent will get an individualised, personalised letter relevant to their child in relation to the follow up," she said.
"We need to find out and parents need to know 'was my child's surgery appropriate or not'," she added.
The minister said "we are not" closer to knowing why the surgeries were performed, rather "we are closer to knowing is where the problem exists".
Ms Carroll MacNeill said a helpline opened for those affected has received "over 100 calls".
She said "a very different process" is now in place in the event a child is indicated for hip surgery at the hospitals noted in the audit.
"It is a decision that has been made not by one surgeon but by a surgeon from each hospital, supported by physiotherapists, more junior doctors, clinical nurse - it's a team decision," she said.
Helpline
A dedicated information line is open for parents at 1800 807 050.
The freephone line will be open Monday to Friday from 8am to 8pm and Saturday and Sunday from 9am to 5pm.
