Pressure Mounts on Simon Harris as Parents of Late Harvey Morrison Sherratt Call for Resignation

Dublin – Tánaiste Simon Harris continues to face mounting pressure after the parents of the late Harvey Morrison Sherratt publicly called for him to resign, accusing the former Health Minister of failing children on scoliosis waiting lists.

Support for his resignation is also growing among the public. An Irish Mirror poll showed a landslide response, with 481 readers saying Harris should step down, compared with 110 who disagreed and 16 who were undecided. More than 32,000 people have also signed an online petition demanding his resignation.

At the heart of the controversy is a pledge Harris made in 2017, during his tenure as Health Minister, that no child in Ireland would wait longer than four months for scoliosis treatment. Despite this assurance, Harvey’s parents – Gillian Sherratt and Stephen Morrison – discovered last August that their son had been removed from Children’s Health Ireland’s (CHI) waiting list without their knowledge.

Harvey, from Clondalkin, finally underwent spinal surgery last December after years of waiting. By then, his spinal curve had progressed so severely that it could no longer be fully corrected. His rib cage had twisted around his lungs and heart, severely restricting his breathing. He died earlier this year following a short illness.

Public anger intensified further when Harris posted on social media after attending an Oasis concert, thanking the band for “an incredible gig” and “a magical atmosphere.” His remarks were met with sharp criticism. One user wrote: “Pity Harvey will never have a day like that … Read the mood of the country.” Another commented: “This has to be a joke … after everything that’s going around on social media.”

The political fallout is also growing. Aontú leader Peadar Tóibín last week joined the calls for Harris’s resignation, warning that if he refuses, his party will push for a vote of no-confidence in October.

“In 2017, Simon Harris stated very clearly that no child would wait beyond four months for scoliosis surgery. And yet Harvey had to wait 33 months,” Tóibín said. “Children are being put through enormous pain and suffering. A spinal curvature of more than 100 degrees can be fatal, and Harvey had a curvature of 130. That is unforgivable.”