Duncan Smith (Dublin Fingal, Labour) | Oireachtas source

This condition is incredibly painful. When it flares up and is in crisis, the pain throughout the body is indescribable. It is a serious, painful and debilitating condition.

We need to consider an improved blood donation campaign. I know that is true across the entire county for a range of conditions, but there are a number of rare subtypes of blood that we need greater supplies of. We need specific campaigns to try to get members of the African community to donate blood, particularly rare subtypes such as Ro, to have sufficient supplies as part of a multifaceted response to treat this condition.

I commend the work of Sickle Cell and Thalassemia Ireland. Their campaign is ten years old this year, so if we could see some progress in the next few months, that would be great.

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