It’s been confirmed that Baby Joy, a two year old girl in urgent need of open heart surgery, is to have her life saving operation next week.

Joy has been on a waiting list to get the surgery at Our Lady’s hospital for sick children in Dublin – but her condition had been getting worse.

Her parents had blamed the wait on the HSE for delays in making beds available for critically ill children recovering from major surgery.

The good news comes after various media appeals.

Joy’s father Mark says its a fantastic result

“The combination of the hospital and the HSE have agreed to run an initiative over the space of three to four months, starting in January, which will result in a fourth operating day in Crumlin and then all the staff to actually support that – anesthetists, nurses, etc” he said.

“So we feel that is a…positive result, it’s fantastic that something has happened” he added.