Operations in the Western Health Board area would not have had to be cancelled if hospitals had managed their stocks of blood better, said the Minister for Health.

Mr Martin confirmed to Fine Gael's health spokesman, Mr Gay Mitchell, that 38 elective operations in the Western Health Board area were cancelled because of the shortage of blood. He said there was a "significant discard rate" of blood.

"The management of blood is the key. With better management of existing blood stocks in hospitals and across the hospital system, there would not have been a need for those cancellations. We need to expand the donor base but it is necessary to be careful about how that is done. There are higher risks among younger donors coming on stream."

He said that currently there was sufficient blood available to meet the needs of hospitals throughout the State. The Irish Blood Transfusion Service had deferred donors who have spent a cumulative total of five years or more in the UK between 1980 and 1996. This was to reduce the risk of transmission of variant CJD through blood transfusions.

It was expected to result in a 5 per cent reduction in the number of donors - some 7,500 people. To combat this a major programme was under way to recruit new donors, to encourage lapsed donors and to improve the management of the donor programme.

Earlier, Mr Martin dismissed as an "elaborate conspiracy theory" claims by Mr Mitchell that he was "filling" the Irish Medicines Board with people from his "bailiwick". Mr Mitchell said at least five of the 12 appointees were from Cork.

Mr Martin said the allegations were outrageous and the TD was "casting aspersions on people who have nothing to do with me in terms of politics or anything else". He said one had been appointed by Fine Gael's party leader when he was minister and Mr Martin had reappointed him.