David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for bringing forward the Bill. We had lots of exchanges in the Dáil over a number of years on the issue of organ retention and the need to respond to all of the scandals. It is very important that this Bill is now progressing.

The offer was made, and accepted by the Minister, for a technical briefing. I thank the Minister for that. We have had very constructive processes similar to this with other Bills, which have worked out. I understand the Minister cannot tell us that he can accept all the amendments proposed by the Irish Kidney Association. We have discussed some of the issues in relation to the merits of them and the balance that may need to be struck, which I accept.

The Minister will bring forward amendments on Report Stage. I took a note of that and I do not have any opposition to them because they make sense, and crucially those six areas outlined to us. I assume the Minister received the same submission the committee members received from the Irish Kidney Association, so we are all on the same page about what the issues are. In advance of that briefing, it would be helpful if a note was circulated to us on the substance of the amendments the Minister will bring forward and the view of the Department on the proposed amendments from the Irish Kidney Association. It would allow us to understand why some of these issues are not included, and perhaps why the Department may still not want to accept them. Ultimately, that is a matter for the meeting we will have. The Minister said that everything will be on the table. The point I would make, however, is that the more information we have and the better understanding we have of the Department's logic and approach to this, the better. That meeting with the Irish Kidney Association will be important. I imagine that we, as members of the committee, will meet with it in our own right. I thank the Minister again for the collegial approach, which is very useful.