Fidelma Healy Eames (Fine Gael)

I do, but I would like to make this point because I have waited a long time for the opportunity to do so. There is significant waste at the top and I wonder whether we can continue to afford to have university residences for our university presidents. We are in war time and must look at everything. All bets are off and we must consider whom we should serve. We need to serve our citizens and our students and we need to serve our employers so that they continue to provide employment. We are at a new juncture.

I urge the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Brendan Howlin, to press on with the abolition of severance pay for senior civil servants. Today we saw that the Secretary General of the Department of Education and Skills, who is about to retire, has volunteered to renounce her severance pay of €126,000. I compliment her on that. The figures are sickening. This is huge money and we cannot afford to pay such sums at this time. We cannot leave the issue to a voluntary code, so the Minister should press on with the abolition of such payments.

I support Senator Quinn with regard to seeking an opt-in clause for organ donation so that organs would be available unless people choose to opt out. That would help many people make their decision. I have not signed to say that on my death my organs can be donated. However, I would not have any difficulty with an automatic opt-in clause.