Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I welcome Professor Staines. This is most academic indeed. He has been the chair of the IBTS over the past three years and I am at a loss to understand why the Minister thinks we should be having a chat with him. We wish him well and continued success in his role on the board of the IBTS.

Among the priority issues he signalled today, I ask Professor Staines to address over the next number of years the matter of the prospective use, rather than disposal, of blood provided by those suffering from haemochromatosis. He indicated a personal situation in his presentation, namely, himself, and I include myself in that. I am a former voluntary blood donor who had a silver pelican and wanted to do better. It transpired that I had haemochromatosis, which involves retaining too much iron in the blood. People buy iron supplements from pharmacies up and down the country, when a couple of pints of what I am carrying around with me would do them a world of good. It is beyond my comprehension why such blood is not employed by the health service, as it is in other countries, including in the United States and elsewhere where no differentiation is made. Many of us who attend for venesections and phlebotomy from time to time find it is part of the discourse for an ever-growing number of Irish people because it has a more significant presence among our number than in other nationalities. It is prevalent among the Irish and Scottish. It is suggested it is a footprint in the sand of our genealogical make-up going back in time.

I am interested in hearing what Professor Staines has to say about it and whether he has any views at this point in time. If not, I would encourage him to examine the issue because it is a matter of considerable concern that the blood we give, which is of more than usable quality, is simply disposed of - I understand it is incinerated.

I refer to the other area of interest highlighted by Professor Staines, namely, the developing range of products the IBTS currently provides. I would not have known but for the presentation today that the IBTS has moved into other tissue services such as valves for heart surgery, corneas for transplants, a small number of other tissues and the new service for limbal stem cells. How long has this other area of development been in situ? Was the IBTS the perceived appropriate vehicle to provide these additional needs in terms of transplant services? I would agree that if this is an area in which the IBTS is involved it will most definitely be an area of greater focus and interest in the future. Perhaps Professor Staines might elaborate on that.

Is it the case that for those who make the decision to donate body tissues on the expiry of life, corneas are removed and the IBTS is the receiving body for their allocation to others who will benefit?