Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Senator Maria Byrne mentioned a briefing by University Hospital Limerick and the HSE. I join with her in welcoming the good news story in Limerick. I am sure that all Senators will join with me, including Senator Gavan, in welcoming the €850,000 investment in the surgical day care unit and the new emergency department. Both units will be fine additions to the hospital and will greatly benefit the people in the area.

Senator Conway made an interesting point about post offices having a new public service contract. I am happy to invite the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment to the House to discuss the matter. It is important that we have certainty about post offices.

Senator Conway made an important point about unviable or unused post offices. We should have a conversation on how frequently we use post offices as a society. People talk about encountering faceless banks, particularly when lodging money into their bank accounts, either social welfare, wages or whatever. Perhaps we should reverse the trend away from automation and encourage people to use banks and post offices.

I join with Senator Devine in asking people to support the Irish Kidney Association and organ donation week. I am the former chairperson of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Health and Children that commissioned a fine report on organ donation. It recommended that we change the organ donation system. It is incumbent on us that we do so now, as a matter of urgency. As the Senator rightly said, it is wrong to have 600 people awaiting organ transplant when people can be given the gift of new life by people donating an organ. I hope that the Irish Kidney Association can work with all of us to change the system.

I am happy to accept the amendment to the Order of Business. I suggest, because of the Minister's schedule and our business, that we vote on the amendment to the Order of Business at 8.30 p.m. with one spokesperson per group.