Feargal Quinn (Independent)

My attention was drawn to a court case last week and I was horrified by the evidence given at it. The case involved a group of young men with purposely souped-up motor cars, some ten of them, racing on the M50 at speeds of up to 134 km/h. One of the drivers had an unwilling passenger, to the extent that her car had broken down and she accepted a lift from him, not knowing what would ensue. She, a 20 year old girl, was killed in the race.

In the court case, the judge referred to souped-up cars as an lethal concoction. I was shocked by the case because the young men involved had removed steering wheels from their cars to replace them with sporty-type ones which meant the airbags did not work. The revulsion I have is that the young man involved in the accident was given a suspended sentence. It is a reminder to us that some road traffic accidents occur from activities that someone considers to be fun. It sends out a message to others who are thinking of doing the same that the State and the Oireachtas do not recognise this as serious if only a suspended sentence is handed down. I am not asking for anything other than a reminder that these sort of activities must stop. We must send out that message.

According to the Order Paper, Second Stage of the Human Body Organs and Human Tissue Bill 2008 is to be resumed. I presume there is some parliamentary time left for it. In the Coroners Court last week, a case referred to the parents of a young man of 22 years who had died and who had donated his body organ, as a result of which four lives were saved. It is a reminder of the importance of donor cards and the proposed changes to the law in the Human Body Organs and Human Tissue Bill 2008. The Minister for Health and Children did not accept the Bill because she wanted more debate on it. We must urge the Minister to bring the Bill back in the new year or introduce her own Bill. This would remind everyone that we can save lives if we carry a donor card and find a better solution to encourage people to donate their body organs after death.