Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Article 152 of the Treaty of Amsterdam commits the European Community to implement binding measures to lay down high standards of quality and safety on the use of organs and substances of human origin, blood and blood derivatives. Directive 2002/98/EC, which was adopted on 27 January 2003, set standards of quality and safety for the collection, testing, processing, storage and distribution of human blood and blood components. This directive will be transposed into Irish law during 2004.

A directive of the European Parliament and Council on setting standards of quality and safety for the donation, procurement, testing, processing, preservation, storage and distribution of tissues and cells will be adopted in the coming months and again this will be transposed into national law in due course. Article 13 of the directive will require that the procurement of human tissues or cells shall be authorised only after all mandatory consent or authorisation requirements in force in the member state have been met.

On the proposed directive on organs, the Commission has stated that it believes that before considering any proposal it is necessary to conduct a thorough scientific evaluation of the situation. It will present a report to Council on its analysis as soon as possible. My Department is keeping in close contact with the Commission on all developments in this area.