There are concerns that hospitals may be forced to defer elective surgeries if blood stocks keep falling to critically low levels.
It's after the Irish Blood Transfusion Service issued a pre-Amber Alert letter to hospitals last week to ask them to reduce the amount of blood they hold in stock.
Blood stocks have fallen to just over two days in some parts of the country and the service are appealing for anyone who is considering becoming a donor to contact them immediately.
The issuing of an Amber Alert is the next potential stage in the blood shortage plan and would have immediate implications for hospitals and elective surgical procedures.
Speaking to RedFM News, Julianne Kelly from the IBTS says pandemic restrictions meant new donors could not be recruited:
"There is a decline in people coming forward to donate, particularly new donors. Our regular donors have been amazing and continue to attend every 90 days, but it's vital that we get new donors on board. The appeal is asking anybody that hasn't donated blood before, that are feeling well, that they would go on the website, check their eligibility and come to a clinic locally".
