The Irish Blood Transfusion Service has had to import blood from the UK because of a current shortage of supply here.
The IBTS said 390 units of O-, A- and B- arrived into Ireland from Manchester in England earlier this morning.
This is the fourth time in the last 18 months that blood has been imported from the UK.
Barry Doyle, director of production and hospital services at the IBTS, said maintaining supplies of negative blood groups had become difficult with just two days of O- blood in the bank and said it activated its contingency plan with the UK's blood service.
He said over the last number of weeks the IBTS has been issuing more RhD negative blood to hospitals than has been collected.
The IBTS is asking for public support over the coming weeks in order to maintain supply over the Christmas and the New Year.
According to the IBTS, it needs to collect 3,000 units of blood every week to maintain the national blood supply.
