Patricia Ryan (Kildare South, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I commend the work of the Irish donor network, the Irish Kidney Association and all other groups that do fantastic work in highlighting issues relating to organ donation. The Bill will, I hope, help normalise organ donation in Ireland. I am mindful that in most cases, in order for someone to benefit from an organ donation, another person must have lost a loved one.

I know many families who have suffered the loss of a loved one and have taken some comfort from the fact that their loved one has brought solace to another family. In either saving or greatly enhancing someone's life, one organ donor can save up to seven lives. It is an incredibly generous thing to do. It is vital this legislation is backed up by adequate resources and infrastructure. Otherwise it will not result in additional donations. Apart from the human benefit, there is an estimated €612 million in savings from a modest increase in organ donation. This money must be used wisely.

We must see a public campaign to ensure the benefits of this Bill are known. The transplant service in Ireland is fragile at the moment. We saw this in November 2021, when a planned transplant did not go ahead at the Mater hospital due to unavailability of an ICU bed. The investigation and recommendations relating to this incident have not yet been published. They must be published as soon as possible so we can learn from the experience and prevent it from happening again.

Many issues are not clear from the draft Bill and I would appreciate clarity from the Minister. We know this Bill provides an automatic opt-in. Will the Minister clarify why families will not be approached if their loved one has opted out? In other countries, families are still approached to ensure their loved one's view had not changed since opting out. Clarity is also needed on whether the Bill legally permits retrieval and transplantation of other organs not specified in the Bill which can currently be transplanted, for example, the cornea, small bowel and uterus, or organs that may become transplantable in the future.

I wish one of my constituents, who we have been assisting in relation to a social welfare issue, the best of luck. He had an assessment today for a double lung transplant and will be very interested in the swift passage of this Bill. We must not lose sight of the human cost of further delays to this legislation. My hope is that we can get this legislation right so it will help people and their families through a difficult time.

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