Mary White (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Leader of the Seanad, Senator Maurice Cummins, for facilitating this event because it is a major event. Year after year people relentlessly lobby Minsters and political representatives to try to get their issues on the radar in the Oireachtas, but many issues never get on the radar. This is a victory for Seanad Éireann, for my colleague, Senator Mark Daly, and for the people in the Visitors Gallery who are here on behalf of their families who are waiting on transplants of various organs. I am sure there is not one person in this room who does not know a person who has been getting dialysis over the years. Directly or indirectly we have all dealt with people who are going through the trauma of having to travel three times a week from all areas of the country to designated centres for dialysis. It is a horror story.

There is no doubt that we have got the issue of the failure of the organ donation system in Ireland on the political radar. The arguments coming from the Opposition are weak and pathetic.