Mark Daly (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I call for an amendment to the Order of Business, that the Seanad would call the Minister for Health to the House to debate SI 325 of 2012, which he signed in August last year, relating to organ transplantation. If this statutory instrument and the associated legislation enacted on 28 August had been done correctly more lives would have been saved. I call on the Leader to facilitate a debate in this regard.

I also call on the Leader to facilitate a debate in respect of the ambulance service. As the leader on this side of the House pointed out yesterday, the ambulance service is in a shambles at present and 200,000 people were left without an ambulance in Dublin yesterday. We have seen numerous incidents of ambulances arrive to the wrong location.

I referred to the name of a person last week. I will not do so this week, but I know the Cathaoirleach received a strongly-worded letter from him seeking an apology. I wish to clarify that I do not mean to disparage anyone personally, but if someone is not doing his job and if, as a result of the job being done ineffectively, we have a dysfunctional ambulance service, then it must be highlighted. That is what we are supposed to do in the House. We were told, and the people of west Cork were told-----