Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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209. To ask the Minister for Health his Department’s plans to engage with the Irish Blood Transfusion Service in respect of introducing an individual risk assessment for all prospective donors to compliment arrangements in place regarding persons that can donate blood in Northern Ireland. [50332/21]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The remit of the Irish Blood Transfusion Service (IBTS) is to provide a safe, reliable and robust blood service to the Irish health system. A major objective of the IBTS is to ensure that it always has the necessary programmes and procedures in place to protect both the recipients and the donors of blood and blood products. The IBTS constantly keeps all deferral policies under active review, in the light of scientific evidence, emerging infections and international evidence, to ensure the ongoing safety of blood and the products derived from it.

The IBTS established an independent Advisory Committee for Social Behaviours Reviewto review the evidence base for donor selection, deferral and exclusion in Ireland in relation to social behaviours that may increase the risk for acquiring specific blood-borne infections.

The work of the Advisory Committee is the subject of consideration between my Department and the IBTS.