Blood donation levels increased last year for the first time since 1996, according to the Irish Blood Transfusion Service's (IBTS) annual report.
Donations rose by 8.2 per cent last year, with 23,851 people donating blood for the first time.
Mr Andrew Kelly, acting chief executive, said this was "a manifestation of the renewed confidence of the Irish public in the Blood Transfusion Service".
The IBTS would continue to seek new and return donors, particularly during the summer when donation levels traditionally fell, he said.
Mr Kelly has been asked to continue his role as acting chief executive for another 12 months following the IBTS's failure to find a permanent chief executive despite a recruitment campaign.
Asked if the recruitment difficulty was associated with the poor public image of the service, he said it was difficult for him to comment given his position as acting chief executive.
The last chief executive, Mr Martin Hynes, was suspended last June after placing Dr Joan Power, IBTS regional director, on administrative leave over issues surrounding the late notification of 28 blood donors with their hepatitis C test results.
Mr Hynes won an injunction against his suspension and later settled his case with the IBTS.
This late-notification incident may be investigated under the "committee of investigation" structure being proposed by the Minister for Justice, Mr McDowell, Mr Kelly said.
Yesterday, the IBTS predicted a steady increase in demand for blood transfusions in the coming years due to the State's ageing population.
This State was one of the few countries in the western world to see an increase in blood usage in recent years, said Dr William Murphy, IBTS medical director.
Dr Murphy also said the IBTS was still considering a ban on blood donations from people who had lived in Britain for up to five years.
A ban already exists for people who have spent more than five years there.
He said the IBTS needed to have a sufficient level of donations before extending the ban, as it would exclude up to 6 per cent of the blood board's current database of donors.
