Irish Donor Network, including Cystic Fibrosis Ireland, welcomes record year for lung transplants and liver transplants in Ireland and recommitment of the Irish government to new organ donor consent legislation in early 2020

The Irish Donor Network (IDN) is a network that represents 8 patient groups concerned with organ donation and transplants in Ireland including Cystic Fibrosis Ireland.

The Irish Donor Network welcomes the announcement on 30 December 2019 that 274 organ transplants were performed in Ireland in 2019- the same as 2018. 

In particular we welcome the fact that 2019 was the best year ever for lung transplants with 38 lung transplants undertaken compared with 28 in 2018 and beating the previous best year of 36 in 2017 and 2015. 

Philip Watt, Chair of IDN and CEO of Cystic Fibrosis Ireland, which has many people with CF that have benefitted from double lung transplants stated

‘The organ transplant figures for 2019 are in general positive with a record year in lung transplantation and the same amount of organ transplants as 2018. 

IDN warmly welcomes the recommitment by Minister Harris and the HSE to bring in soft opt out organ donation consent in early 2020’.

IDN takes this opportunity to thank all organ donors and their families for the fantastic gift of life and for the wonderful work of all clinical and nursing staff in our hospitals; the ODTI and to those in patient groups, many of whom are volunteers. 

Philip Watt
Chairperson, Irish Donor Network
CEO, Cystic Fibrosis Ireland
pwatt@cfireland.ie