Vol. 517 No. 6
284 Mr. Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health and Children when the Blood Transfusion Services Board commenced sending donor blood samples for hepatitis C PCR testing to Edinburgh; the number of such samples sent to date; the number of PCR tests carried out; and the total cost to date. [10814/00]
The Blood Transfusion Service Board, renamed the Irish Blood Transfusion Service on 7 April 2000, contracted with the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service to undertake PCR testing on its behalf in November 1999. The number of samples sent for PCR testing from 23 November 1999 to 31 March 2000 is 58,858. The total cost to 31 March 2000 for testing these samples is £173,944.14.
