Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

We discussed this briefly. It concerns the opt-out versus opt-in. I think amendment No. 20 is about opt-out and opt-in. The opt-out only register makes organ donation the clear default option and signals the move toward organ donation being the norm. I agree with the Deputy's earlier contribution that we need a really robust public communications campaign. This is a fundamental change to how we deal with organ donation in this country. We all hope it will accelerate the chances of organ donation for the 600 or so people on the waiting list.

The opt-in register would not have the status of the opt-out register. We discussed this at some length. While I fully appreciate where it is coming from, we want this to be very clear and not have three different categories - opt-in, opt-out and neither. We want it to be very clear.

The success of this will depend to some extent on public communications. We must get that right so that everybody understands that we are all now organ donors. We are all opted in unless we decide to opt out. I believe this is the right approach but I want to be very cognisant and respectful of the views of people who have lived through this and advocacy groups and, therefore, this will be included very clearly in the review of the legislation. If in the future, having looked at the operation of the legislation and the scheme for a few years, the view is that an opt-in register should be included, it is not something we are not ruling out. For now, we want to proceed with a very clear change in philosophy to one where everyone essentially is an organ donor unless he or she chooses to opt out.

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