Feargal Quinn (Independent) | Oireachtas source

This week it was reported that Deputy Jerry Buttimer, a former Member of this House, is planning to introduce legislation for presumed consent for organ donation. He has a very solid reason for doing this because there has been a considerable drop in the number of organs being transplanted. I ask the Leader to draw the attention of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Health and Children, of which Deputy Buttimer is the Chair, to the fact that this House debated and adjourned the debate on such a Bill about three years ago. The debate was adjourned to allow for further consultation. The Bill has already been debated in this House and has almost passed through the Second Stage process. The Leader drawing the committee's attention to this would speed up the presumed consent legislation. This is something we should do immediately given the fact that there has been a considerable drop in the number of organ donations in the last few years.

The second issue I wish to raise is the need for a debate on the question of food and health, particularly in the context of the current horse meat scandal. I am convinced we need a Minister specialising in that area. I accept that the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine is doing a very good job but he has to wear two hats. He has the agricultural hat, which requires him to protect farmers and the food hat, which requires him to protect consumers. There is an enormous need for a concentrated effort with regard to food. More than 25,000 people die in Europe each year because of bacterial infections that are almost impossible to treat. As doctors prescribe even more antibiotics, our bodies develop a resistance to them, yet the meat industry accounts for nearly 80% of all antibiotics that are used. That is the real worry. We talk about horse meat not being a problem but horse meat that contains antibiotics and other medicines could be a danger to human health. This needs a concentrated effort if Ireland is to regain and retain its reputation for having very high standards in food production.