John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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Question 149: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children her views on whether to continue the funding for the Parents for Justice; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7645/06]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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Question 150: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if she will ensure that the 54 boxes from the Dunne inquiry are handed over to Parents for Justice and are not destroyed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7646/06]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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Question 151: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if her attention has been drawn to the difficulties that have arisen with the helpline set up by the Health Service Executive to help parents following the Madden report; if she will ensure that those difficulties are sorted out; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7647/06]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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Question 152: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the reason she did not attend the EGM of Parents for Justice; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7648/06]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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Question 153: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children when she intends to introduce human tissue legislation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7649/06]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 149 to 153, inclusive, together.

The question of funding for Parents for Justice is a matter for the Health Service Executive. Accordingly, my Department has requested the parliamentary affairs division of the executive to arrange to have this matter investigated and to have a reply issued directly to the Deputy.

My Department received a freedom of information request on 10 February 2006 for access to the documents to which the Deputy refers. It will be processed in line with provisions of the Freedom of Information Acts, 1997 and 2003. The documents in question are in the secure custody of my Department.

The telephone information and helpline has been in operation since the publication of the Madden report on 18 January and to date has received 72 calls regarding organ retention. Of these, 33 have been referred on to the appropriate hospital for attention. Some callers to the line have complained because they are still dissatisfied with the response from hospitals to their queries. The helpline number is also used as an information line for other HSE services and is, therefore, still in operation.

Because legal proceedings have been initiated on behalf of Parents for Justice, the subject matter of which is the Madden report, the legal advice was that it was not appropriate for me to attend the meeting which was due to discuss the report at the core of those proceedings. Dr. Madden's report stated that communication and authorisation are vital, and must be enshrined in legislation. My officials, in consultation with key agencies, are examining the gaps and have commenced work on drafting legislation to address these gaps as a priority in 2006.

EU Directive 2004/23/EC on standards of quality and safety of tissues and cells for human application must be transposed into Irish law by 7 April 2006. The regulations that will transpose the directive will deal with the donation of tissues and cells to another living person, but not with procurement or donation for research or clinical investigation.

The heads of a Bill for a new coroners Act have been prepared by the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform. It is examining the implications, if any, that Dr. Madden's recommendations will have for this legislation.