Organ donation champion little Dáithí Mac Gabhann was at Belfast City Hall to thank the Council for his recent Freedom of The City.
A proposal forwarded last month by elected members was officially agreed during Tuesday’s meeting of the full Belfast City Council - the last monthly meeting of the authority before the local elections on May 18.
The West Belfast lad has become the youngest ever beneficiary of the honour - which is the greatest of the formal civic awards. A total of 58 men, 17 women and 10 groups have been honoured with the Freedom of the City of Belfast, including Bill Clinton, Van Morrison and Mary Peters.
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The six-year-old, alongside his parents Máirtín and Seph, have been ardent campaigners for a change in Northern Ireland's organ donation laws, and their work and passion has led to Dáithí's Law, which will come into effect in June, after a Westminster bill was passed in March. Dáithí himself is awaiting a heart transplant.
Dáithí's Law will mean, in the event that organ donation is a possibility after a person in Northern Ireland dies, it will be considered that they agree to being an organ donor unless they choose to opt out or are in an excluded group.
Dáithí attended the meeting at City Hall on Tuesday, and at the start of proceedings, during which the motion was agreed, sat in the Chief Executive’s Chair beside Lord Mayor Christina Black. He thanked the chamber for the award and received a round of applause and standing ovation.
The motion, forwarded by Sinn Féin Councillor Micheal Donnelly, and seconded by DUP Alderman George Dorrian, states: “Belfast City Council is no stranger to Dáithí Mac Gabhann and his family.
“Dáithí was the official face of Belfast City Council’s Christmas card in 2018 and Belfast City Council was also the first council here to support the calls for the introduction of soft opt out organ donation back in 2019 and, most recently, this council wrote to Chris Heaton Harris calling on him to push Dáithís Law through Westminster.
“Dáithís Law is happening and will be introduced on 1st June 2023 and that is down to the sheer persistence and determination of the Mac Gabhann family who never gave up.
“Dáithí is a hero and both he and has family should be commended for their campaigning and with that in mind, we call on Belfast City Council to grant Dáithí the freedom of the city and we ask that this process is expedited due to the introduction of Dáithís Law on the 1st June.
“This law will undoubtedly save lives and by granting Dáithí the freedom of the city, we will not only be giving Dáithí the due recognition he deserves but we will also help raise much needed awareness of this life saving legislation coming into effect.”
Councillor Donnelly told the chamber: “Nobody deserves this better than Dáithí, for what he has achieved. He, his parents Máirtín, Seph, baby Cairbre, the late Frances, Máirtín Mór, the Donate for Dáithí campaign - you have all been tremendous in lifting the campaign to where it is at today.
“Organ donation will go live on June 1st, and I would say it is single handedly down to that family. They have guts and determination, they never gave up during all the challenges they had to go through and they should be commended for it.
“I am not just saying this on behalf of our party, I know I can speak with the authority of this council, to congratulate you Dáithí Mac Gabhann, and the Mac Gabhann family for everything you have done.”
Under the new law, it will be considered that a person agrees to donate their organs and tissue when they die, unless they have confirmed otherwise, or are from one of the excluded groups. Excluded groups include those under the age of 18, people who lack the mental capacity to understand the change in law, visitors to Northern Ireland, and temporary residents.
A person will still have the choice about whether or not they want to become a donor. Families will continue to be consulted, and decisions based on faith and belief will continue to be respected. The key change is the law has changed from opt-in to opt-out.
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