Bernard Allen (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)

I thank the Chair for giving me an opportunity to raise this issue tonight. The Irish Medicines Board has warned that the blood screening irradiator which helps to prevent serious complications, or even death, at the Irish Blood Transfusion Service unit in Cork is faulty. The machine, which prevents a rare but sometimes fatal reaction in some patients who receive blood is in such poor condition that the service has been forced to suspend some of its activities at its Cork facility. Blood not used in one hospital is recalled and sent to another. An inspection carried out by the IMB was critical of policy control at the Cork unit. The minutes of the IMB's December board meeting stated that "quality assurance is not sufficiently aware of the urgency and extent of product recall". The December minutes also noted that the board has "major concern regarding the potential for inadvertent reissuing of recalled product". A spokesperson said that the programme would be suspended until there is greater clarity in "recall procedure". This includes determining if blood has been stored at the correct temperature and handled properly in the hospital from which it came.

An article in The Examiner today quoted the Irish Medicines Board as saying that the risk assessment analysis of the irradiator will be completed shortly. The article by Catherine Shanahan mentioned that the board's inspection also found problems with the premises and equipment in Cork. It was reported that the post of senior technical officer has been vacant since August 2002 and the post of quality officer has been vacant since April 2003. Yesterday's IBTS statement said that the difficulty in filling positions was due to "uncertainty regarding the development of the facility".

The Government promised a major new unit in Cork in the course of a by-election in Cork in the late 1990s. Very little has happened since then, despite the fact that the Irish Medicines Board has said the building is unsuitable for long-term use and is not compliant with good manufacturing practice. Although the Southern Health Board has offered a site for a new building, the Government has delayed the project regardless of its many promises. I call on the Minister to ensure that his Department will include this project in the 2004 capital programme. In a vital area such as blood quality, the Minister should have learnt that no stone can be left unturned to ensure the highest possible standards in the most modern of buildings. The people of Cork and Munster expect no further delays on this vital project.

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