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Pictured outside the gates of Leinster House last week, before speaking at a presentation for the Oireachtas Health Committee were local people Annette Beston, Noreen O’Halloran-Hannon and Michael Kiely.

Last Thursday was a momentous day for three Mitchelstown people, as they had the unique chance to plead their case on changing the current organ donation system by making a presentation to the Oireachtas Health Committee.

Noreen O'Halloran-Hannon who received a kidney transplant just five weeks ago, Annette Beston who donated a kidney to her brother and Michael Kiely who received an organ from his sister Annette, all travelled up to Dublin on Wednesday last and are now hopeful that a soft opt out system could be put in place in Ireland.

Currently, Ireland operates an 'opt in' system, whereby a person has to explicitly express their desire to donate their organs before they die, whereas an 'opt out' system would mean that it would be presumed that a person would donate their organs, unless this was contradicted by the family members.

Speaking after she made her presentation in the Oireachtas Health Committee, Noreen O'Halloran-Hannon said that the experience has been and will be the highlight of her year and it was a privilege to speak about what she went through, in the hopes that it will bring about change to a system that really isn't working for organ donors and those on the transplant list.

The 'Soft Opt Out' system would mean that individuals could choose to opt in or opt out of organ donation and could ideally also indicate what they would like to donate, for instance they may wish to donate kidneys but not lungs.

Noreen said that there was a general feeling from most of the organisations represented, that the soft opt out system could not be implemented, until the infrastructure of the current system is changed to accommodate the soft opt out system.

"There would be no reason in implementing the change to soft opt out without infrastructure change, only to come back in a year's time and say it didn't change anything. The infrastructure has to be improved first. The key issue is the appointment of a Network of Donor Coordinators in ICU Units and medical and nursing personnel would need to work together on the issue of organ donation, as well as looking after the welfare of donor families. This is very important in my own view.

"On a personal level, I came away from the meeting upbeat and hopeful of a change. I do hope there is a change. As I stated in my presentation, you are three times more likely to need an organ transplant in your life time than you have your organs donated. We will keep the fight going until there is change and improvement," Noreen explained. 

The second half of the Oireachtas Health Committee Hearings will take place today (Thursday), April 25 with medical and policy perspectives being aired.

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