Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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Question 284: To ask the Minister for Health and Children when it is proposed to commence building the new blood transfusion facility in Cork to replace the Munster Regional Transfusion Centre at St. Finbarr's Hospital; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12424/07]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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The Irish Blood Transfusion Service (IBTS) has sought capital funding to build a new blood transfusion centre in Cork. In March 2006 I requested the IBTS to carry out an assessment of the need for this centre in order to comply with the Department of Finance's Guidelines for the Appraisal and Management of Capital Expenditure Proposals in the Public Sector. This assessment was submitted to me in December 2006, but did not make a firm business case for the second centre. The IBTS set up a Focus Group, chaired by the Chief Executive, to provide the information necessary to support its proposals for a second centre. The Focus Group's report was submitted to me on 7th March 2007 and I am currently considering it with relevant officials.