JOBS MINISTER RICHARD Bruton was questioned today on whether the subject of human rights concerns would be raised during this week’s trade trip to the Gulf states.
He appeared to confirm that it was not the right time or place to raise these concerns – but that the Irish government had other forums in which to raise them.
As of yesterday, the Government had declined to say whether Taoiseach Enda Kenny had or would raise specific concerns about human rights issues with leaders in the Gulf states of Saudi Arabia, Qatar and United Arab Emirates (UAE), where he is on a trade mission with other Irish officials this week.
One of the members of the mission is Minister Bruton, who spoke to RTÉ radio show Morning Ireland from Abu Dhabi this morning.
So far, the trade mission has led to business contacts worth €25 million.
Bruton said “we are very conscious of human rights issues, and for example the Taoiseach welcomed Saudi Arabia joining the Human Rights Council of the UN”.
He said of raising concerns that “clearly we will work with other countries through UN agencies but also through our membership of the European Union”.
When it was put to him that the trade mission is there to do business, and that in terms of bringing up anything negative or any concerns, “this is not the time, this is not the place”, Bruton said “that would be correct”.
Bruton pointed out that there are requirements in the trade negotiations, and there are standards that have to be met as Ireland develops trade agreements with these countries.
He said that this visit mainly involves business-to-business meetings where Irish businesses are meeting their counterparts. “Our focus here is exports and jobs, clearly that is the focus,” concluded Bruton.
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Decided since I was 8 i wanted to donate all organs. I rarely drink , don’t smoke or do drugs , I’m very healthy, never been gravely ill, excellent sight , good heart, lifeguard so lungs are swimmers lungs etc. I would be delighted to give all them away. Card signed and in my purse by myself and my mother. No if buts or ands if I pass away , god for bid.
I wasn’t a Chelsea fan before reading this article but I’ve had a change of heart ;)
A friend of mine died tragically about 8 years ago and 5 people were saved with her organs. I needed and received a kidney in 2010 and while most of us don’t put too much thought into the whole thing, it’s incredible how life changing the selfless act of carrying a donor card can be for some desperately ill people. If the worst happens, I can’t think of a better legacy to leave behind!
Don’t forget to donate blood too. It can save a life. I’m giving blood since I was 18 …… You never know you could be on the receiving end I too want to donate my organs. Why waste them in the earth.
IMO Organ donation should be an opt-out process.
Some people just don’t carry cards, etc. So if someone felt strongly about not donating they can carry an opt-out card instead. That way more lives could be saved.
Chelsea do u go out every night dressed like that???
Seriously though I think the opt out rather than the opt in donor system should be used. How many people would refuse a donated organ to keep them alive while at the same time not offering the donation themselves should the worst happen???
They can take all or any of me if its of any use, and can help someone.
I’d be happy to donate organs, or even blood for that matter but the gay blood ban is still going strong. Sorry to say that someone who desparately needs the blood or organs will be denied.
That is one of the biggest problems with donation in this country, that and people who lived in the UK in the 90′s not being able to donate blood or bone products.
They do such stringent tests on blood ect anyway no one should be ruled out anymore, and especially not because of their sexual orientation.
The lottery and public funded organ donor awareness week is more a fundraising exercise for the kidney assoc than improving organ donation.
If the ika believe that improving organ donation retrieval will improve by hiring coordination staff in our hospitals then here’s an idea, identify a large hospital with low organ retrieval and install a member of staff whose sole purpose it is to increase organ donation. This can be done on a trial basis and can be used to prove that it can be rolled out in other hospitals.
Every year we listen to murphy waffling on about organ donation with his opinion changing with each threat to the lucrative amounts of money the ika pull in from donation week.
A donation card is a useful as used toilet paper.
If people are serious about organ donation they would be better off lobbying the government to correct failed policy in our hospitals rather than giving money to the ika. The ika have repeatedly failed in this area.
How much do the ika receive each year to promote awareness?
How much do the ika spend on donor awareness each year?
I think you will find a rather large gap between the 2!
Of course the other charities who claim to have an interest are no better, leaving the “campaign” to the tired and failed ika.
Why is there a low turn out on organ donations Is that because of trust !
It’s because it’s very difficult to ask a family who see their loved one on life support to give up hope on them coming out of icu alive to make a decision that will see that little bit of hope gone forever.
An organ transplant coordinator and the intensive care anaesthetics teams in this country have very difficult jobs at times like this, they walk tightropes where one wrong word or gesture is enough for family members not to consent.
I believe that more educational programs for promoting organ donation should be in school systemespeciallyaimed at new teen drivers.
Also I think that the idea of a hospital not accepting some perfectly good organs due to person commiting suicide is absurd. I can understand them not taking organs from person that died from a disease or something like that. However, if the body is received immediately (24hrs) following death and the organs have not been compromised then why can the organs not be accepted?Yes organs need to be perfused (meaning filled with blood and vital fluids) at time of transplant. So if this is possible I believe family members should be advised and asked for donation.
have your say