The Irish National Accreditation Board (INAB), the public body responsible for the accreditation of laboratories, certification bodies and inspection bodies. It provides accreditation in conjunction with the International Organization for Standardization's ISO 17000 series of standards and guidelines. It is the statutory body responsible for Good Laboratory Practices (GLP). INAB was established in 1985 and is a committee of the Health and Safety Authority under the Industrial Development (Forfas Dissolution) Act 2014. In January 2010, the European Commission was informed by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment (now DJEI), that INAB is the sole accreditation body for Ireland, in accordance with Regulation CE/765/2008. One of its many functions is the accreditation of testing and calibration laboratories ISO 17025, ISO 15189. INAB has been providing accreditation of medical laboratories according to ISO 15189 since its publication in 2003. For the program of medical laboratories, INAB uses a mix of technical experts and doctors. Qualified evaluators from other EA accreditation bodies who have considerable knowledge in medical laboratory accreditation. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on 'Why violent video games should not be banned'? Get the original essay The INAB has also trained a number of Irish technical experts in ISO 15189. The legislation (SI No 360 of 2005) published in 2005 requires blood bank laboratories to operate according to ISO 15189 by November 2008. These laboratories must also comply with these conditions with additional requirements relating to blood traceability and haemovigilance (notification serious adverse effects and events). The general accreditation process involves a desk-based assessment of an applicant laboratory's quality system and processes, a pre-assessment site visit to recognize any issues that need to be addressed prior to assessment, and an on-site assessment visit with the entire INAB evaluation team to validate the technical capacity of the laboratory and its compliance with ISO 15189 and INAB criteria. Once all issues have been adequately resolved, a detailed report along with the supporting proposal is presented to the INAB Board of Directors for judgment on the award of accreditation. Accreditation is granted for a period of 5 years and is reassessed through annual on-site inspection visits. Why is accreditation so important? The European single market allows the free movement of goods, services and people within the European Union. This free trade assumes confidence in the product or service presented and can only be used after the removal of technical barriers to trade. EU members have established a system of national accreditation bodies, which ensure that the suitability of all laboratories, inspection and qualification bodies is assessed according to the same values. Accreditation is often required to demonstrate compliance with the requirements of laws, EU directives and official regulations. The European Commission recognizes accreditation as the preferred method for removing technical barriers to trade and has stated that “accreditation is essential for the proper functioning of a transparent and quality-driven market”. Accreditation can provide a competitive advantage and facilitate access to export markets, while serving as a means of raising standards and introducing better working practices. Benefits of accreditation Accreditation.