Tom Hayes (Tipperary South, Fine Gael)

I congratulate and commend Deputies Timmins and Charles Flanagan on bringing this Bill before the House. If anything can send out a good signal of proper work and thought in this House, it is support of this Bill. Like Deputy Timmins, I was extremely surprised that the Government tabled an amendment to prevent us from passing the Bill through the House. We need to send out a message of support for the very many voluntary organisations and groups. It would reflect well on the body politic and would show that we are genuine about doing what people want us to do.

At a time of an emergency in the country - we saw it during this winter in particular - with the roads, storms or bad frost, people are extremely concerned about doing volunteer work such as clearing snow from footpaths, which was done and to which reference has been made. During a particular 48-hour period, nobody would go near the footpaths or roads outside their houses simply because they were extremely worried. If this Bill did nothing else except send out a signal that we will protect those people who make genuine efforts to help others in their local communities, it would be important. I have seen at first hand in Clonmel, which has been flooded in recent years, the number of volunteers who turn up and help people flooded out of their homes. The Bill will give such people protection if anything happens.

A total of 553,000 people are involved in volunteerism, whether in their local communities or at national level. They may be involved in point-to-points, race meetings or in the GAA. They are involved in the basic things of life. We are living in times of severe economic hardship. Local authorities are not able to cope with some of the issues confronting them. Many volunteers are willing and anxious to help in a crisis. If this House does nothing to protect them, then as a country and as a Government we are not looking after them. The technicalities of the Bill were dealt with by other speakers but I wanted to contribute because it sends out a signal to the huge number of volunteers.

The most critical issue is that of defibrillators. They are used and available in every village and town throughout the country. As we close down our hospitals we will have more need for defibrillators. The Government should give this consideration. The Minister, Deputy Dermot Ahern, is a practical man. He should reconsider what he is doing here because of the message it will send out. We need a clear signal that volunteers are protected. That is the main thrust of the Bill, which I support. The Minister should give very serious consideration to supporting what Deputies Timmins and Flanagan have proposed.

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