Heatwave causes blood supplies to hit dangerous low levels

The recent heatwave has caused blood supplies to hit dangerously low levels.

The Irish Blood Transfusion Service said that it has seen a 10% drop in donations with hospital demands slightly rising since the good weather hit.

The group is urging people to donate as soon as they can before supplies reach critically low levels.

"It's a situation that we would not like to see them drop any lower," said Paddy Bowler, director of operations with the IBTS.

"Usually when we get to this point in time and we let the Irish public know that we need donors to attend clinics then they do so

"What I would suggest people do is go onto giveblood.ie and they can see all our clinic locations."