Catherine Byrne (Dublin South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I would love to say there was a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow into which we could dig to build facilities and assist people who want to be live donors. Unfortunately, there is not. I do not know what the last Administration was doing here, but they had a lot of money which was not invested in the right places. I am interested in the points raised about Northern Ireland and the United Kingdom and their investment in organ procurement. What do they actually do?

I address the next point to Dr. Colman O'Loughlin. I have sat in a room in which someone has asked my family the question to which he just referred. It is a very tough question. One's initial reaction is "No - not in a million years." When one gets a second opinion after a day or two, one lives in hope and considers that if there is anything that can be done for other people, it is the right thing to do. When we were asked the question, the issue was dealt with in the most compassionate way possible. As a member of a family which was involved in an organ donation decision 20 years ago, I believe that a little piece of our family member is still out there in some community or family where someone is living a full life. Someone used the phrase "a lifeline of hope". It is important that when people face that terrible time in their lives they have as much information as possible. It must be told to them with the greatest compassion and understanding that they are being asked to allow someone who has been in their life to pass on while someone else is given a new lease of life.

As much information as possible must be given compassionately to such families, and it must be explained to them that someone dear in their life could give someone else a new lease of life.

I found the briefing material interesting to read. At a meeting yesterday with the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Deputy Frances Fitzgerald, she informed us that we need €1.5 billion every month to keep the State afloat and pay people’s wages. It is a sad reflection on all of us that when we had plenty, more was not done in helping agencies such as this. Coming from a donor family, we certainly appreciated the way we were dealt with and it helped heal some of the sadness involved. It gave us a different appreciation of the dilemma of making life-changing decisions when it comes to organ donation.