Feargal Quinn (Independent)

This time last year, I introduced the Human Body Organs and Human Tissue Bill 2008 to this House. The Minister for Health and Children accepted the point of the legislation but wanted to undertake discussions before acting on it. The Bill deals with presumed consent in regard to organ donation. However, I am bothered by the length of time taken by State organisations to get things done. Frank Deasy, who many people heard speak on "Liveline", died last week because he was unable to get an organ transplant on time. He fully supported the principle of presumed consent, that is, the assumption that unless one has opted out, one's organs can be used after death. The Minister has stated that she will introduce her own Bill on the same issue as soon as discussions are concluded. However, a full year has passed already and every week people are dying because they cannot get organ transplants. I urge her to make a decision to introduce a Bill and we can then tweak it to make it more acceptable.

I received documentation the other day, I believe in the post but I am not sure, which related to voting "No" in the Lisbon treaty referendum. To the best of my knowledge, this material was sponsored with money from outside the State. I understand that in the United States it is a criminal offence for an American to use funds from outside the state to influence political opinion. If it is the case that this money which was used to advocate a "No" vote, part of which I believe came from the United Kingdom Independence Party, came from outside the State, then those responsible for distributing it, and to the best of my knowledge it may be An Post, have committed a criminal offence. I am not sure if the Minister, the board of directors of An Post or individual postmen are responsible, although perhaps An Post is not even involved. If it is the case that a criminal offence has been committed because funds from outside the State were used to influence political decisions in this country, we should do something immediately before more damage is done.