Stolen disc with Irish blood donors' info is encrypted

A disc containing the personal files of more than 170,000 Irish blood donors has been stolen in New York.

The encrypted disc was given to the New York Blood Centre last December as part of a software upgrading programme for the Irish Blood Transfusion Service.

A laptop containing the disc was subsequently stolen at knifepoint on February 7 from an employee of the New York centre.

The IBTS says it has been very securely encrypted and the risk of the details being accessed is minimal.