Responsibility for the organisation and management of the national blood transfusion service rests with the Blood Transfusion Service Board, BTSB. A report on the implications of centralising donation testing was prepared by the national medical director and the chief executive officer of the BTSB. This report which strongly recommended that the board should centralise donation testing was unanimously adopted by the board in July 1999. The board decided to proceed with the detailed planning for centralised testing and to address the concerns of medical practitioners in the Munster region. I have not received a submission from the board nor have I been in touch with the board in relation to this matter. A copy of the report which I have referred to was made available to my Department.
I have made a commitment to invest additional capital resources in the BTSB's Munster centre and I understand that a planning brief is being prepared for consideration by the board. As soon as the board decides on the outline planning brief, I expect that a submission will be made to my Department for the necessary approval to progress the detailed planning of this project. My Department will respond to the board's submission as a matter of priority.