The Minister for Health, Mr Martin, is still studying the resignation letter written by the chairwoman of the Irish Blood Transfusion Service, Dr Patricia Barker, the Department of Health said last night.
In her letter Dr Barker made it clear that internal divisions within the board about its future made it impossible for her to continue in the demanding role. The Minister is still on holiday with his family in west Cork and is not due back in his office until next week at the earliest, although he has been keeping in touch with the situation.
Dr Barker has refrained from making public comment, and it is believed this is a position she intends to hold. Yesterday the Department of Health rejected requests to publish the letter.
For months Dr Barker questioned the suitability of the board of the Blood Transfusion Service, given the organisation was undergoing traumatic change. The board is dominated by Cork people who were nominated by the Minister shortly after he was moved from the Department of Education. A large number of health board regions are not represented.
Yesterday the Fine Gael TD, Mr Gay Mitchell, claimed the Minister had allowed "internecine disputes" within the board "instead of appointing a national board to run a national service". Fine Gael supported the view that the IBTS should have blood-testing centres in both Cork and Dublin, a view that was strongly opposed by Dr Barker, who wanted to centralise such work in Dublin.
The former chairwoman had commissioned and then strongly supported a management review conducted by the former trade union leader, Mr Phil Flynn, which was critical of some existing executives.
Following her support for centralising blood testing, Dr Barker came into conflict with Dr Joan Power, the IBTS's most senior figure in Cork. The latter argued strongly that centralisation would damage healthcare in Munster and she was supported by several hundred GPs.
