A hospital in Manchester has said that Billy Burke, a 29-year-old Kerryman waiting for a lung transplant, will be operated on in the hospital as soon as suitable lungs become available.
A spokeswoman for Wythenshawe Hospital said the hospital had never said it would only perform the transplant on Mr Burke if it received Irish-donated lungs.
The spokeswoman said that Mr Burke, who has cystic fibrosis, was being given the same priority as any other patient on the hospital's waiting list.
The Freeman Hospital in Newcastle, which has a contract with the Department of Health to carry out transplants for Irish patients, refused to carry out the transplant for medical reasons.
Earlier, a protest took place in Killorglin in Co Kerry over what is being seen as the red tape denying Mr Burke the operation.
Upwards of 5,000 people took part in the protest, which was led by former Kerry football coach, Mick O'Dwyer.
