North to hold public hearings on opt-out organ donor scheme

The decision by Derry GAA football pundit and All-Ireland medallist Joe Brolly to become a kidney donor may lead to the Northern Executive introducing an opt-out donor system.

The North’s Minister for Health Edwin Poots yesterday announced a public consultation on whether such a system should be established in Northern Ireland.

It was clear at the launch of the consultation at Belfast City Hospital yesterday that Mr Brolly’s decision to donate a kidney was a key factor in Mr Poots taking this initiative. While the kidney transplant failed in that case, Brolly has continued to press for the opt-out system.

This would generally mean that in the case of accidental or other death, the consent to organ donation would be presumed. An opt-in system applies in the Republic.