The number of organ transplants carried out in Ireland increased by 6% last year when compared to the year before, latest figures from the Irish Kidney Association (IKA) have shown.

According to the figures, 266 organ transplants were carried out during 2015 compared to 251 in 2014.

Eighty-one deceased donors donated 233 organs including 120 kidneys, 36 lungs and 16 hearts.

A further 33 kidney donations came from living donors.

The IKA described the rate of decreased organ donors as ‘above average', however it expressed concern that not as many kidney transplants were performed considering the amount of deceased organ donors.

"In 2014, there were 112 deceased kidney transplants from 63 donors. In 2015, with 81 donors there were 120 deceased kidney transplants. This represents a significant decline in utilisation of available kidneys. It is evident that this will require further investigation to understand exactly why this has come about," the IKA commented.

It believes that a shortage of kidney transplant surgeons in Dublin's Beaumont Hospital ‘is taking its toll, but credit is due to the performances of the existing team of surgeons who have managed to achieve these numbers while so understaffed'.

"Should the HSE now examine the strategy and wisdom of having only one kidney transplanting hospital in the country? A second hospital would alleviate the obvious pressures that exist within Beaumont Hospital. In the interim period the HSE could contract a UK Hospital to perform a number of living kidney donor transplants, perhaps Belfast city," it suggested.

It insisted that such ideas should be considered, especially considering there are around 2,000 patients currently on kidney dialysis and this figure is expected to increase.

Meanwhile, the IKA also highlighted the fact that no pancreas transplants took place in 2015 due to a failure to restart the pancreas transplant programme at St Vincent's University Hospital in Dublin as a result of ‘transplant surgeon recruitment issues'.

However commenting on this, the Minister for Health, Leo Varadkar, said that he has been ‘assured' that pancreas transplants will recommence this month 'now that a suitable surgeon has been identified'.

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