Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the 14 Senators who contributed to the Order of Business. I completely agree with Senator Daly on the need to transform the organ donation infrastructure in our country. The committee I chaired in the last Oireachtas completed a comprehensive report on organ donation and, in particular, on the need to change the model to a soft opt-out system. That is part of the difficulty, and the Senator is right. Advertising, or awareness raising, in itself, will not create the need for people to give organ donations. There needs to be a change in infrastructure around the whole issue of dialysis in our hospitals. The retirement of Dr. David Hickey has highlighted the vacuum that exists. There is a need for consensus and buy-in from all sides with regard to organ donation. As somebody who, when in college, worked in a dialysis unit in Cork University Hospital, I saw first hand the importance of it. I saw the whole range of emotion and trauma around organ donation and dialysis. The Senator is right that we need to have a completely different system and change of approach. I hope we can work to do that.

Senator Daly referred to Orkambi and he knows quite well that the National Centre for Pharmacoeconomics and the HSE make the decision. I am told the HSE is in negotiations with the manufacturer of the drug to reduce the cost, particularly for cystic fibrosis patients. I agree with the Senator completely. We must look at ways in which we can make medication and life-changing or life-altering drugs available to people. Whether they are high-tech or high-cost, it is immaterial. It is about the preservation of life and the quality of life that we can give to people, such as the people the Senator referred to. We have already done so with some of the cystic fibrosis drugs and with other drugs for multiple sclerosis as well. I do not see any reason we cannot see that change. It is important we keep the pressure on the Department and the HSE in regard to the drug the Senator referred to.

Senator Boyhan also raised the issue of organ donation. With regard to the Senator's Private Members' business this afternoon, I am not aware if the Minister will be in the House because he was away yesterday. I cannot give the Senator a definitive answer on that but I am sure one of the Ministers of State will be here. I do not have an answer for the Senator on the issue of the payment to the 4,000 people working overnight, but I will raise this with the Department.

Senator Conway-Walsh raised the issue of social protection and the need for the Minister to come to the House again to discuss it. To be honest, the most likely date for that will be as part of the social welfare Bill, which I think might be an appropriate vehicle. If we can arrange a stand-alone discussion, I will certainly try to do that.