2013 was a record year for organ transplants in Ireland, with 293 organs transplanted compared to the previous record of 275 in 2011.

According to the Irish Kidney Association (IKA), the highlight achievement was the growth in lung transplantation in the Mater Hospital from 14 in 2012 to 32 in 2013. This is more than the equivalent of the previous four years of lung transplantation from 2009 to 2012, which totalled 31.

Another highlight, according to the IKA, is the success of the living donor kidney transplant programme in Beaumont Hospital, Dublin, which had 38 living donors and resulting transplants. This brings the total number of living donor kidney transplants to 155 since the start of the service seven years ago.

The IKA says the generosity of the 86 deceased donors and their families in 2013 dramatically altered and saved the lives of 245 people, 10 of whom received two organs. There were 55 liver transplants performed in St. Vincent's Hospital and 11 heart transplants also conducted in the Mater Hospital.

In Beaumont, a total of 195 transplant operations took place -185 kidney operations of which 38 were from living donors and 147 from deceased donors and 10 of the 147 also had simultaneous pancreas transplants.

Currently, 550 people are on transplant waiting lists, of which 480 are waiting for kidneys.