Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Question 237: To ask the Minister for Health the position regarding the new blood bank premises in County Cork following agreement on funding and design and the availability of a site; his views on the fact that some offices in the current centre have recently been forced to vacate for health and safety reasons; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the Irish Medicines Board has cited the condition of the premises as being unsuitable; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29172/11]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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Approval was given by the Board of the HSE in July 2011 to relocate the Munster Regional Transfusion Centre to a site at Cork University Hospital. This followed a decision in December 2008 to replace the current facility, with the allocation of capital funding for this purpose. The Programme for Government provided for a Comprehensive Spending Review which is now well under way. This exercise includes a review of the planned health care capital programme. The outcomes of this review will determine the health care capital allocations for 2012 and future years.

The Irish Medicines Board reports annually to me on the results of its inspections of the Irish Blood Transfusion Service. In its 2010 Report the Irish Medicines Board has stated that, in its opinion, the provision of a purpose built facility is the only resolution that can ensure compliance of the Munster Regional Transfusion Centre with modern requirements of a transfusion service, which are in keeping with Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP). I am aware that some administrative/medical staff have recently been relocated to more modern office space and this has no implications for product safety.