Terry Brennan (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

If we accept this motion and annul the statutory instrument, we will be taking a retrograde step. We will be the only country in the European Union that will not have a coherent and detailed structure relating to donation, testing, characterisation, procurement, preservation, transport and transplantation of organs. To go forward we need the human tissue Bill to be published and public consultation is talking place and I hope this Bill will be introduced during the next term. We need to put in place a comprehensive awareness campaign and adopt the same approach as that of the Road Safety Authority. The Road Safety Authority used a high profile person to sell the importance of road safety and we commend the reduction in accidents on our roads today.

I wish to acknowledge the efforts of Mr. Joe Brolly, who himself is a widely known high profile young man. He donated a kidney to his friend - what a thing to do. He is involved in a sport that is discussed in most houses every week of the year in this country. People in most houses would know who he is. I believe we need a high profile individual in order to create awareness of the importance of being an organ donor. A person of the calibre of Joe Brolly is required.

We need to appoint transplant co-ordinators immediately, as has already been mentioned by previous Senators. Five transplant co-ordinators are based in Beaumont Hospital in Dublin. In Northern Ireland, however, they have put in place 27 transplant co-ordinators in the past five years. As a result there is a 81% increase in organ donation. The appointment of transplant co-ordinators does not require legislation and is of the utmost importance. We have already introduced the new application system for driving licence. This gives the opportunity to tick part four, which allows the licence holder to state that his or her organs can be donated to somebody who needs them. This was a very worthy initiative. We need to work toward having one transplant unit for the entire country. We currently have three transplantation centres at Beaumont. It is also necessary to recruit the additional staff in order to deliver the service that is required. The total number of consultants currently involved in transplantations has not increased significantly in the past ten to 15 years. We must put in place a procedure to discharge the out of pocket expenses incurred by living donors. In the United Kingdom that sum is of the order of £5,000 sterling.

We all have a part to play in bringing about the change that is required. We do not know the day when we are faced with the dilemma of being dependent on an organ transplant. Likewise we do not know the day that tragic circumstances may hit us or a member of our family and we must make the decision on organ donation. Let us leave this House with a positive message. There is a need to deliver an immediate action plan to cater for living donors and the recipients There is a need to put in place the necessary infrastructure. There is a need to appoint co-ordinators in each of the main medical centres across the country. We all need to become involved in raising awareness of this issue.

I oppose the motion before us.