Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 22 Oct 1992

Vol. 424 No. 2

Written Answers. - Organ Donations.

Ivor Callely

Question:

151 Mr. Callely asked the Minister for Health the number and type of organs that were donated in 1991; if there is a recognised need for any particular type of organ; and the public awareness programme, if any, which is undertaken to promote such donations.

Minister for Health (Dr. O'Connell)

The information requested by the Deputy is set out hereunder.

Organ Donations 1991

Type of Organ	Number of Donations
Kidney	142
Cornea	134
Liver	29
Heart	21
Heart and Lung	8
Heart Valves	2

There is a growing demand for each type of organ for transplant purposes; however, demand for donor kidneys is greatest. The national organ donor card campaigns which have been organised by the Irish Kidney Association have had a significant influence on the number of organs which have been donated. Initially, only kidney donor cards were produced; however, the introduction of multi-donor cards has motivated the public to multi-organ donation and I understand that approximately 70 per cent of organ donations are now multi-donor i.e. heart, lung, kidneys, liver and eyes. I am happy to inform the Deputy that my Department has provided a grant of £30,000 in both 1991 and 1992 from the health allocation of the national lottery proceeds towards the cost of these donor campaigns. In addition, a donor awareness programme for health professionals is also provided by the Transplant Coordinator at Beaumont Hospital, Dublin.

In 1991, the donor rate in Ireland was 21 per million of the population. This compares with a figure for the USA of 18 per million and the United Kingdom of 15.1 per million of the population.