Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 1 February 2022
670. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health the reason the Council of Europe Convention against Trafficking in Human Organs of 25 March 2015 has not been signed; the necessary legislative or administrative measures required to implement the Convention; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4426/22]
View answerIreland signed the Council of Europe Convention against Trafficking in Human Organs on 8 October 2015, and thereby signaled its intention to adhere to the provisions pending the development of the necessary legislation to give effect to the Convention.
Ireland will only be in a position to ratify the Convention when the necessary legislation is in place. The enactment of the Human Tissue (Transplantation, Post-Mortem, Anatomical Examination and Public Display) Bill is a priority for the Government. Work on the drafting of the Bill in collaboration with the Office of Parliamentary Council is progressing with a view to ensuring that Government approval is secured to publish the Bill during the Spring legislative session. This proposed legislation will, among other things, prohibit the commercialisation of human organs and tissue for transplantation and the trafficking of organs for transplantation.
In addition, the European Union (Quality and Safety of Human Organs intended for Transplantation) Regulations 2012 which transpose Directive 2010/53/EU provide that a person who procures or sells, including brokering the procurement or sale, for exchange of money or value an organ contrary to the Regulations and the Directive, is guilty of an offence.
