Garret Ahearn (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister of State to the Chamber and thank her for coming here to speak on this matter. I am aware the issue is important to her, her colleagues and the Department. However, it is also an issue that is important to the Government, because it commits in the programme for Government to addressing this in its lifetime.

Instead of having our current system for people who wish to donate their organs when they pass away, whereby they must sign a donor card that allows for donation if something happens to them, I recommend what is done in Spain, where one has to opt out of donation. This is important for several reasons. One reason our current system fails is that the organs of those with organ donor cards may not be donated after their death if they have not had a conversation about donation with their next of kin. It happens quite often that the next of kin are uncomfortable with organ donation. Even when someone with an organ donor card tragically passes away, the next of kin still have to be asked if they are okay with donating his or her organs. Often this happens in very tragic circumstances. There are many things the next of kin have to worry about in addition to organ donation. Obviously, the decision has to be made extremely quickly. The next of kin may not be comfortable with donation and, most important, the conversation between a potential donor and his or her partner or next of kin may not have happened. If we introduce an opt-out system, it will be the choice of the next of kin not to have the organs of the deceased donated if they have a strong view on it. In Spain, about 14% of the population over 18 have opted out of donation.

It is obvious what an opt-out system does: it gives more opportunities to those who need an organ donation. In Ireland, about 650 people need an organ donation. I believe 270 organ donors died last year, affording an opportunity to donate, but only 190 transplants actually happened as a consequence. Of these, 123 were kidney transplants, 37 were liver transplants and 16 were lung transplants. Nine patients received a heart transplant. Some 650 people need an organ transplant but we have 190 transplants per year. That means 450 people are still waiting and going through very traumatic times, be it on dialysis or otherwise. Many of these are young kids. We do not want people waiting longer than necessary to receive a donation, be it of a kidney, lung or heart.

From my experience, many are willing to be organ donors but have not applied. They all have busy lives and may not have had the conversation. If there were an opt-out system, they would be happy with it. There would be no need to do anything. This is about caring for and protecting people and making it as easy as possible for those in very difficult circumstances and who need a donation to receive one as quickly as possible. I look forward to the Minister of State's response.