Long awaited Human Tissue Bill offers families the closure they deserve – Lombard

The Human Tissue Bill has been approved by Cabinet yesterday and will finally offer families the security and closure they deserve, a Fine Gael Senator has said.

Earlier this month, Cork Senator Tim Lombard called on the Minister for Health, Stephen Donnelly, to expedite the publishing of the Bill. The legislation includes provisions around organ donation and transplantation, post-mortem practice and procedures in hospital settings, anatomical examination, and public display of bodies after death.

Senator Lombard said: “I am hugely relieved that this Bill has been approved by Cabinet/ We’re almost a year on from when I initially called for the publishing of this Bill and finally, an end is in sight.

“Fundamentally, this Bill guarantees safeguards which will protect the integrity of the human body before and after death.

“Many families across Ireland will breathe a sigh of relief due to this piece of legislation. I have had the privilege of working closely with one of these families, Laura and Fintan Kelleher.

“In 2020, Laura and Fintan were one of 18 families affected by a tragedy when their babies’ organs were incinerated in Belgium after being sent there from Cork University Maternity Hospital (CUMH). This occurred without their consent or knowledge and had a deeply traumatic effect.

“These families have already endured deep trauma and the delaying of this Bill was just another thing to worry about. The Bill will introduce a regulatory regime for the conduct of post-mortems in hospital settings which will be overseen by the Health Information & Quality Authority (HIQA).

“This cannot happen again, and the Human Tissue Bill will be the vehicle in ensuring that it will not,” concluded Senator Lombard