Dr. James O'Rourke:

I echo what Dr. Dwyer and Dr. O'Loughlin said. I am strongly committed to organ donation and believe families get much solace in the long term. Deputy Catherine Byrne described her experience. I had one experience a number of years ago of a small child who died and there was almost a case of medical misadventure. I remember sitting with the parents in the room and not bringing up the issue of organ donation. In retrospect, I would do so today. I would not miss that opportunity again. There are very few opportunities where the potential for organ donation is missed because the issue is not raised by me and my colleagues in the intensive care unit.

Going back to the resource implications, most organ donation result from the intensive care unit. There are patients who never reach the intensive care unit owing to resource restrictions who could become organ donors but are not given that opportunity owing to limitations in the number of intensive care beds. I do not have anything more to offer.