Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein)
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461. To ask the Minister for Health when the human tissue (transplantation, post-mortem, anatomical examination and public display) Bill will be published. [28039/19]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The Government approved the publication of the General Scheme of a Human Tissue (Transplantation, Post-Mortem, Anatomical Examination and Public Display) Bill on the 01 May 2019. The General Scheme is now available on the Department of Health website ().

The General Scheme, which is wide-ranging, includes provisions on:

- organ donation and transplantation;

- hospital post-mortems;

- anatomical examination (including medical education and training); and

- the public display of bodies after death.

The General Scheme will:

- regulate the removal, retention, storage, use and disposal of human tissue from deceased persons;

- provide general conditions for the removal, donation and use of organs and tissues from deceased and living persons for the purposes of transplantation; and

- provide for an opt-out system of consent for organ donation and for an associated register.

My Department is working with the Office of Parliamentary Counsel on the drafting of the Bill. The General Scheme has been referred to the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health for pre-legislative scrutiny. It is anticipated that this process will commence in September.