Written answers

Wednesday, 26 April 2006

Department of Health and Children

Organ Donation

9:00 pm

Photo of Caoimhghín Ó CaoláinCaoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 107: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children her views on the proposal for the establishment of a centralised national organ donor register as a more effective means of ensuring the availability of organs for life-saving transplants; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15483/06]

Photo of Caoimhghín Ó CaoláinCaoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 187: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children her views on the proposal for the establishment of a centralised national organ donor register as a more effective means of ensuring the availability of organs for life-saving transplants; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15712/06]

Photo of Mary HarneyMary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I propose to take Questions Nos. 107 and 187 together.

The annual organ donor awareness campaign, organised by the Irish Donor Network and administered by the Irish Kidney Association, highlights the necessity for organ donation generally. The campaign, which my Department supports, highlights the need for organ donors by promoting the carrying of an organ donor card. My Department has provided financial support to the donor awareness campaign for a number of years. The grant in 2006 amounted to €550,000. I launched the 2006 campaign on 28 March last.

In a further measure designed to highlight the issue of organ donor awareness, arrangements were put in place recently to facilitate the distribution of organ donor cards through the community pharmacy network. The Irish Pharmaceutical Union has arranged with the Irish Kidney Association, acting on behalf of the Irish Donor Network, for pharmacies to stock organ donor cards.

There are no plans to introduce a national organ donor register. Two systems, opt-in and opt-out, can be used to register an individual's wishes on organ donation. The former system, which operates in this country, requires that the specific consent to donation of each person, or their next-of-kin, be obtained before organs or tissues are removed. The opt-out system presumes that all citizens consent to donation unless they have specifically registered a wish to the contrary.

The practice in this country is that, even when a person has indicated his or her willingness to donate organs by way of carrying an organ donor card, or a driving licence noted accordingly, the consent of the next-of-kin is always sought. Even where opt-out systems are in operation, the relatives of the deceased are approached as part of the donor screening process to seek a medical history of any high-risk behaviour. Thus, the relatives will always be aware that a donation is being considered and can register an objection to the donation if they wish.

Ireland does not have legislation governing transplant issues, but the need for such legislation is being considered, particularly in the context of the living kidney donor programme being developed at Beaumont Hospital, where the issue of consent is particularly important. The EU directive setting quality and safety standards for tissues and cells for human application has been transposed, and provides a legal basis for the practice of donating specific tissues and cells. The position is not as straightforward for organs because they are more scarce, are almost invariably a life-saving therapy and because the timeframe within which they must be used is extremely limited. Nevertheless, the European Commission is considering a directive in respect of organ transplantation, including the issue of consent, and proposes to conduct a thorough scientific evaluation of the situation. It will present a report on its analysis to the Council of the European Union and it is expected that this report will inform decisions regarding the development of a legislative framework in this area.

In the context of increasing the number of donor organs available for transplant, my Department asked the Health Service Executive early last year to undertake a review and analysis of the factors that impact on organ procurement and retrieval rates in hospitals around the country. This review has recently commenced. One of the issues that will be examined is the relatively low level of donor organ retrieval in hospitals where higher levels might be expected.

Comments

No comments

Log in or join to post a public comment.