Thomas Gould (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

This Bill is long overdue.

The consequences of the delay have been significant for many families. I commend the proposed soft opt-out for organ donation. It is positive and could be hugely beneficial, provided we see enough resourcing. Often good policies fail because of poor implementation or support. I do not want to see that happen here because this Bill can make a significant difference.

I want to talk mainly to the incineration scandal in CUMH. In 2020, the organs of 18 deceased babies were sent to Belgium for incineration without the knowledge of their parents. Some of these parents believed their babies' organs had been buried in the CUMH graveyard for children's organs. This scandal was exposed by RTÉ in September 2021. Parents found out a short few months earlier what had happened. A report was promised and, most important, parents were promised a voice. They were given a commitment that they would be able to have an input into the draft stage of the report and that the input would be included in the report.

On 19 November, the report was published. Parents saw it for the first time that day. It has been 66 days since the report was published. I spoke to a parent this morning who is still waiting to hear from the HSE to discuss the findings. She has issues with the report and wants to be listened to. She wants to engage with the HSE constructively because she, like other parents, feels she has not been listened to or included. There is a significant issue with communication and listening to the families involved.

The Bill needs to be strong enough to stop a repeat of this tragic incident so that it will never happen again. It would appear the HSE and Government do not understand how serious the situation is for the families affected. These parents are looking for closure. They have been through an unimaginable tragedy which has been compounded by the State's incompetence. I ask the Minister to give a commitment that the HSE will meet the families before the end of January to discuss the report and finally show them the respect they and their babies deserve.

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