Keith Swanick (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Stanton, and all the Senators for their contributions. I am delighted with the support I have received from around the House. This Bill needs to be enacted. It is the result of Members thinking of our volunteers, the people who put their lives at risk for others.I take on board the sentiments expressed by the Minister of State, Deputy David Stanton, and look forward to working with him and all other Senators on Committee and Remaining Stages. The Minister of State has said it can sometimes be quite hard to prove the offence. It is important when volunteer groups are placing defibrillators in certain locations that they be in view of a CCTV camera.

I welcome Senator Jerry Buttimer's contribution and agree with him in what he said about the merit in providing EpiPens across the country. They are emergency devices and such an approach could work well in conjunction with the provision of adequate training in schools, third level institutions and community settings.

I thank Senator Niall Ó Donnghaile for relating the personal story of Joby Murphy and the Lagan Weir. Could one imagine the situation if lifebuoys were put in place and then stolen? It would increase the trauma for a family, for whom the grieving process would be prolonged.

Senator Grace O'Sullivan has first-hand experience of being a lifeguard. I have mentioned that I intend to introduce amendments to section 2. At the time I liaised a lot with Mr. John Leech, CEO of Irish Water Safety. I am open to an input by any Senator on marine safety devices. Reference was made to lifebuoys, life ladders and life rings, but I will be happy to take other ideas on board.

I totally agree with Senator Martin Conway in his comments on the provision of education for minors, especially in transition year. With reference to what Senator Grace O'Sullivan said, I will look more specifically at the issue of minors and get back to her directly on it.

I thank Senator Niall Ó Donnghaile for agreeing with me that we need specific legislation and the rolling out of more first aid training courses across the country. I am delighted with the raft of support and messages I have received from Members of this House and Deputies on all sides. If we are serious about dealing with the issue, we must move forward quickly with the legislation. I accept that the Bill might require improvements and changes to be made and will be happy to work with everybody to that end. There is no reason for the Bill not to move quickly based on what has been outlined in the debate.

I thank everyone who spoke in the debate. I also thank Senators Paul Daly, Robbie Gallagher and Diarmuid Wilson who kindly co-signed the Bill. I am delighted that Mr. John Fitzgerald, co-chair of Community First Responders Ireland, has joined us in the Visitors Gallery. CFR Ireland has played an important role in helping me to have this legislation drafted.

I wish to mention a young man from Athlone, Cathal Joyce, who is 27 years old. He is a survivor of sudden cardiac arrest and was one of the guests at a briefing I held on the Bill in July. He has been a great supporter of the Bill which he has promoted on social media. He collapsed in Cusack Park in Mullingar before a GAA football match between Athlone and Rosemount. He survived because of CPR and the fact that there was a defibrillator to hand. He is an excellent representative. Earlier I asked the question of what it was that inspired a volunteer. Perhaps it is the spirt of the great Jim Larkin who said: "An injury to one is the concern of all." That is a matter to be debated on another day.