Bernard Allen
Question:130 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Health and Children if he was consulted by the Blood Transfusion Service Board before it signed a two year contract for PCR testing of all Irish blood donations in Scotland. [6445/00]
Written Answers. - Blood Donations.
As part of its ongoing objective of maintaining internationally accepted standards of safety in relation to blood components, the Blood Transfusion Service Board decided to introduce PCR testing of all blood donations. As it will not be in a position to introduce this test at its new headquarters until 2001, the BTSB decided that it would, in the meantime, contract with another transfusion centre to perform the test on its behalf.
In August 1999, the BTSB advised my Department that it was finalising an agreement with the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service (SNBTS) to perform PCR testing of donations on its behalf. The SNBTS sought confirmation that the State indemnity in respect of the BTSB's product liability would apply to the agreement between it and the BTSB. By way of background information, the Government in July 1996 decided that the State would carry its own indemnity in respect of the BTSB's product liability.
My Department sought detailed clarification from the BTSB in relation to the specific requirements of the SNBTS and subsequently sought legal advice from the Office of the Attorney General in the matter. On 8 October 1999 the Office of the Attorney General advised that the State indemnity did not extend to the proposed agreement with the SNBTS. On 11 October the Government approved a proposal from the then Minister to extend the existing State indemnity to the agreement with SNBTS. On 18 October my Department advised the BTSB of the extension of the indemnity in terms approved by the Office of Attorney General.
The BTSB entered into an agreement with the SNBTS with effect from 1 November 1999. Since that date a sample of every blood donation collected in the State is being sent to the SNBTS for PCR testing.