I propose to answer Questions Nos. 123 and 147 together.
The board of the Irish Blood Transfusion Service decided that nucleic acid amplification technology — NAT — testing, otherwise known as PCR testing, should be carried out at its centres in Dublin and Cork.
Development of the NAT laboratory began at the National Blood Centre in Dublin last summer and was completed before Christmas. Parallel NAT testing with the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service commenced on 4 February 2004. Parallel testing will remain in place for 12 weeks. When the parallel testing period concludes, NAT testing for both centres will be carried out at the National Blood Centre.
It is intended to implement NAT in Cork in 2005. The timeframe has been determined by the need to enhance accommodation in the current facility and the implementation of other technologies to maintain current services. An interim buildings solution is currently in progress and it is expected that this will be completed by the end of August 2004. This will provide accommodation suitable for the performance of NAT.
The IBTS proposes to replace the current facility in Cork with a new blood centre at an estimated capital cost of €28 million.
The Irish Medicines Board, as the regulatory authority, inspects the IBTS centres in Dublin and Cork twice yearly to ensure compliance with good manufacturing practice. It is proposed to extend the remit of the IMB to include ensuring compliance with the terms of the EU blood directive which will come into force in February 2005.
The Progesa computer system went live in Cork on 18 March 2003 and in Dublin on 6 May 2003. Progesa is an integrated system which is compatible between all IBTS sites.
