Neasa Hourigan (Dublin Central, Green Party)
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141. To ask the Minister for Health his plans for a new public awareness campaign in order to increase blood donations given that the health system is currently experiencing a shortage of blood supply; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16877/22]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The Irish Blood Transfusion Service (IBTS) is the national organisation responsible for collecting, processing, testing and distributing blood and blood products in Ireland. It’s remit is to provide a safe, reliable and robust blood service to the Irish health system. The IBTS have advised that it is launching a National radio and digital media campaign (including Social media / video on demand and digital out of home) week commencing Monday the 4th of April. This campaign will last for three weeks leading up to the Easter holiday. It is expected that this will raise the visibility of the critical importance of blood donation and attending clinics.

The IBTS was running a very successful award winning ‘everyone counts’ campaign in 2018/2019 which had to be paused when the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent public health guidelines forced the organisation to adapt its mode of operation.

Before the pandemic the IBTS was attracting circa 18,000 new donors each year but due to the public health guidelines the organisation needed to introduce an appointment only based donation clinic model for all blood donation clinics and stopped the traditional ‘walk-in clinics’ . IBTS clinics have continued to run throughout the pandemic despite numerous challenges regarding donor availability, staff availability and venue availability with advertising focusing on promoting clinics locally as they are organised and confirmed. A key part of ensuring these local clinics are successful is concentrating on existing donors to reduce the time donors would spend on clinic, and focusing on those donors most likely to be eligible to donate at any given clinic.

As public health guidelines and the impact of the pandemic reduce, the IBTS intends to resume the ‘everyone counts’ campaign and once again have a constant ongoing National message raising the importance of blood donation. It is hoped that this will once again attract new donors to support the loyal regular donor base that has seen us through the pandemic to date.