10th November 2005 - Board Minutes
Minutes of the Meeting of the Board of the Irish Blood Transfusion Service held on Thursday 10th November 2005 at 1.15 pmin the Barry Room, MRTC, Douglas, Cork.
Present: Ms. Maura McGrath (Chairperson)
Dr. Liz Keane
Mr. Mark Moran
Ms. Jane OBrien
Mr. David Lowe
Dr. Melanie Cotter
Dr. Mary Cahill
Dr. Mary Horgan
Mr. Sean Wyse (by telephone)
Apologies: Mr. David Keenan
Mr. Tony McNamara
Dr. Cees Van Der Poel
In Attendance: Mr. Andrew Kelly (CE)
Dr. William Murphy (NMD)
Mr. Michael Healy (SEO)
The Chairperson, Ms. M. McGrath, welcomed Mr. Mark Moran to his first Board meeting. Mr Moran has been appointed to the Board for the period 1 October 2005 to 31 October 2008.
1. Minutes of Meeting13th October 2005
The minutes of the Board meeting held on Thursday October 13th 2005 were adopted on the proposal of Mr. D Lowe, seconded by Ms. J OBrien and signed by the Chairperson.
2. Matters Arising
EU Directive and Irish Regulations are to be included in the December 2005 Board agenda.
It was agreed that the recording of board members arrival and departure times was not necessary to minute, unless a crucial issue was discussed and agreed in the absence of the member.
The Chief Executive noted that he and the Chairperson are waiting for the IMB to revert to them with a date for a meeting.
3. Cell Therapy Facility/Chair in Transfusion Science & Regenerative Medicine, IBTS & UCC Presentation.
Dr Noel Caplice, Professor of Cardiology in U.C.C., gave a presentation to the Board on the proposal to develop a Cell therapy facility in Cork. The stem cells in question were not embryonic stem cells but adult stem cells. The National Medical Director briefed the Board on the background to the IBTS developing this facility and the cost estimates projected to carry out the project.
It was noted that there were two other groupings in Irelandinterested in developing this technology. Prof Caplice felt that the IBTS as a blood transfusion body was the appropriate body to manage this project. The CE noted that future strategies for BTSs would take into account such technology, as the requirements for blood transfusion would change in the coming years. It was suggested that this facility could be built as part of the new Cork Centre or as a separate facility. Prof Caplice commented that the development of such a facility could enhance Irelands reputation in this area of medicine. He added that this is an area of medicine where huge growth is expected in the coming years. It was noted that additional funding would be required to obtain the appropriate level of investment and collaboration with outside agencies.
The Chair thanked Prof Caplice for his stimulating presentation which gave the IBTS Board some food for thought.
4. Budget 2006
Mr S Wyse joined the meeting by telephone for the rest of the meeting.
The Chief Executive briefed the Board on the framework and background to the budgetary process. He noted that the IBTS Strategic Plan 05-09 was the framework document that informed the budgetary process.
Ms S Bailey gave the Board a presentation on the Budget 2006 and circulated a paper giving full details. The Board approved the budget for 2006.
5. Chief Executives Report
The report was noted. The IMB inspection begins inCork on December 5th.
A conciliation conference re the Laboratory programme is taking place in the LRC on Friday November 11th.
There will be no PQ run of eProgesa before Christmas.
The CE briefed the Board on other outstanding legal cases.
The Board signed off the final account of the MRTC Interim Buildings Project.
6. Correspondence
The letter from the Tánaiste regarding the new Cork Centre was noted.
The next meeting of the Board will take place at 2pm in the NBC onThursday December 8th 2005.
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