Feargal Quinn (Independent) | Oireachtas source

We had a very good debate here on the amount of food we waste as a nation. I am delighted that Foodcloud has launched a pledge to reduce food waste. It has given some figures showing what can happen. Despite so many people around the world starving, we waste a colossal amount of food. The Foodcloud campaign is to get us to reduce 1 kg of the food we waste each week. It is aiming to get 50,000 people to sign up to this. If that were achieved the savings would be the equivalent of 5.7 million meals. This is a matter we should debate more regularly. We had a very good debate on it the last time. There are things supermarkets can do, things kitchens can do and things that the ordinary citizen can do.

On a more urgent matter, we had a good debate on a defibrillators Bill introduced a few months ago. I know the Minister is planning on doing something about introducing defibrillators. Last week saw the second anniversary of the collapse of Fabrice Muamba during a soccer match in White Hart Lane in England when his life was saved by getting 15 defibrillator shocks. He is only 25. He has made a case for the availability of defibrillators and not just at sports grounds. The Minister has accepted the Bill in theory, but it takes too long to get these things done.

That is something about which we should be urging the Minister to do something, rather than waiting until September or October before it happens. I believe it is something that can happen and I believe it is something that should happen.