The Irish Blood Transfusion Service, IBTS, derives its income from charges to hospitals for the blood components, blood products and services which it provides. In order to meet anticipated increases in the service's cost-base in 2002, a range of increases in blood components, blood products and services were approved by my Department in December 2001, with effect from 1 January 2002.
To meet these increases I have allocated an additional €12.678 million to the health boards and the ERHA for 2002, including €3.687 million to cover increased usage and cost of clotting factors products for persons with haemophilia. The allocation assumes a reduction of 2% in the use of blood components in 2002. The details are set out in the following table.