16/08/2013

Health Minister Urged To Attend The Seanad

Fianna Fáil Senator Darragh O'Brien has reiterated his call on the Minister for Health to reveal if he will attend the Seanad when it reconvenes next week.

The Seanad is to meet for an important debate on a statutory instrument on organ donation which was signed by Minister James Reilly without debate last year.

The Seanad is to be recalled from its summer break, next Tuesday (20th August) to discuss the issue.

Mr O'Brien said: "Earlier this week, I called on Minister Reilly to reveal if he will attend the Seanad next week to discuss this extremely important issue. I have yet to receive a response.

"It is crucial that the Minister for Health attend the Seanad to participate in the debate as he is the person that signed the statutory instrument that transposed the EU organ donation directive into Irish legislation in 2011 without any debate in the Oireachtas."

(CD/JP)

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