Mark Daly (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

It is a disappointing reply even on the practical matter of continuing to ask transplant candidates to attend emergency departments given that we know their very attendance could affect their health and lead to a catastrophic result for them. I understand the issue of staff not being available, but to continue to ask people to put themselves in harm's way in a health service is deeply concerning.

I know this is the reply written up by the Minister, but it is the same reply that was written up for Senator Burke last week. It states that "[g]iven the logistical and time constraints involved, it is not practical to utilise the treatment abroad scheme". Can the Minister imagine if he was on the organ donor list? He would have all the time in the world. He would go through hell and high water, all the logistical challenges and use all the time he had left to get treatment, whether at home or abroad. We do not have a surgeon for pancreatic transplants, we apparently do not know how many consultants are going to retire in our other organ donation areas and we will not even give patients the benefit of finding treatment abroad.

The Minister was not here when we recalled the Seanad to debate this issue, but having met people who are meeting for a life-or-death phone call, the simple act of telling them they must continue to go to emergency departments is a travesty. I know that is the reply we are given, but it is not even best practice. It is actually harmful. The least they could expect is that they would not be asked to do something that would harm them by their health service of all things.