https://www2.hse.ie/services/organ-donation-opt-out-register
System for organ donation Ireland
This is what we are being told :
Since June 17, 2025, Ireland has operated under a soft opt-out (or “deemed consent”) system for organ donation, introduced by Part 2 of the Human Tissue (Transplantation, Post-Mortem, Anatomical Examination and Public Display) Act 2024.
You would think a major decision such as this would require the consent of the population but not in Ireland just ram the legislation through as usual without any proper consultation.
Adults (18+) who have lived in Ireland for at least a year are automatically considered potential organ donors after death for specific organs (heart, lungs, liver, pancreas, and kidneys), unless they have actively registered an objection.
It’s not that you’re added to a donor database without any say—rather, the default presumption is consent, but you can easily opt out at any time via the National Organ Donation Opt-Out Register managed by the HSE.
If you’re on that register, your wishes are respected, your family won’t be approached about donation, and no organs will be taken.
Key safeguards include:
- It’s a soft system: Even if you haven’t opted out, your family/next of kin will always be consulted before any donation proceeds. If they object, donation does not go ahead.
- Excluded groups (e.g., under 18s, visitors who haven’t lived there long enough) are not covered by deemed consent.
- No opt-in register exists anymore—the focus is on opting out if you disagree.
- By early 2026 (figures from late 2025/early 2026 reports), only 58,000 by the end of 2025.
Websites isn’t working - I wonder why?
You can ring a number but people have told me they don’t like ringing these support numbers these days as you may end up having to give your medical and personal details to someone in some foreign country. I can certainly concur with that.
Conti Ransomware attack on the HSE – May 2021
The 2021 Conti ransomware attack on the HSE exposed detailed medical records and shared out onto the web, including my own.
What information was actually released we don’t really know. To put a person onto an organ donor data base list in these circumstances is completely downright dangerous.
It puts people’s lives at risk. Given how sensitive health data is and the potential for misuse: e.g., targeted scams, identity theft affecting insurance/employment, or even rare hypothetical risks like blackmail or discrimination based on health conditions or organ harvesting.
