Brian Ó Domhnaill (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

This is a vitally important issue which affects many families throughout the country. We all know people waiting for transplants but very often those transplants become available too late. Many debates have taken place in this House since I became a Member. They are all important debates, whether on legislation, Private Members' business or otherwise. However, this debate affects people who are struggling to remain alive and we should show them the courtesy of having an adequate, proper and measured debate. I do not believe a debate of this importance or magnitude is being shown respect if the Minister for Health decides not to come in. It is disrespectful.

Senator Mark Daly deserves to be applauded for the amount of work he has undertaken over the past number of weeks and months. Indeed, in September of last year, he tried to have this debate but he came up against blockages which were referred to earlier. Senator Daly deserves respect and recognition because he is standing up for vulnerable people in our society who deserve the protection of the Irish Parliament and Irish democracy. We are elected to represent people and that does not stop when we drive through the gates.

As was said, there are currently 650 Irish citizens waiting for a heart, lung, liver, kidney or a pancreas organ transplant. One in ten will never receive that transplantation and will die as a result. The Government has a responsibility to implement the EU directive referred to but it should not selectively implement it and leave Ireland out of sync with other EU countries. We should learn from each other. The 2008 action plan, which was adopted by the European Parliament and European Council, clearly highlighted a ten-point plan where each member state could unilaterally or in co-operation with other member states put in place a plan which would improve donor rates throughout the EU. It is very easy for the Government to say it has done a good job, that it hosted the EU Presidency, that it works well with its colleagues and that it is applauded in Europe on financial or economic issues but on the important issue of organ donation and transplantation, where we can save the lives of our citizens, we decide to opt-out of being great partners in Europe and of following the path laid down by our European neighbours. Why is that?

At a time when we are trying to save the Irish taxpayer money, there is a two-pronged benefit here because we can save the lives of our citizens who are seeking donors and transplantations and we can also cut down on the costs associated with dialysis and other treatments by providing those donors and transplantations. I fail to understand the logic of the Minister for Health and the Government Senators on this issue. They can throw all they want at Fianna Fáil about not doing enough, which I would gladly accept if it meant providing a transplant for one of our citizens, but I do not think that is what this is about. It appears that it is an inconvenience for some that we have had to come back to discuss this issue today. I would gladly sit here for the rest of the recess if it meant the Minister would take on board some of the beneficial things being done in other European countries such as Croatia which in 2000 was one of the poorest countries not only in Europe but in the world in regard to organ donation but is now the world leader. How did it do that? Have Minister for Health, the Ministers of State in the Department and any of the officials in the Department visited Croatia or spoken to the Croatian Ministry for health about how it has done it? Have they even read the information readily available in an opinion paper on bioethics which looked at the Croatian model? It clearly outlined the steps used to implement its strategy which was the nucleus laid down in the 2008 ten-point plan by the European Commission.

That involves co-operation. It would involve using the hospital model, to provide facilities, a point of contact and making an in-house co-ordinator available in each hospital. That is not readily available in this State. It also considers the role of a national organisation with responsibility for organ donations which is totally different from the two pronged approach being taken in Ireland. It also involves approved family approach skills with professional and compassionate communication with the potential donor's family, which has been shown to be crucial in lowering the refusal rate for organ donation. These are examples that I believe should be incorporated in whatever approach this Government signs into law. For God's sake will the Government go back and have another look at this issue and let us sit for the rest of the month to discuss it? I am prepared to do it. I am sure the 20 Senator who signed the pledge are prepared to do it. This is an issue of importance to all of our constituents, and one of my constituents, Mr. Brendan McLaughlin who was the first ever patient to get a kidney transplant, highlighted this week that the Government's policy is wrong. Those are his words, not mine.