Irish Haemophilia Society officials have concluded a meeting with the Minister for Health at Leinster House. The meeting with Mícheal Martin concerned the possibility of establishing a second Tribunal to examine the infection of haemophiliacs with HIV via infected blood products.
As a result of the meeting, lawyers from the Haemophilia Society and Department of Health are due to meet tomorrow to draft legislation which would allow such haemophiliacs to claim compensation through a Tribunal established to help people with Hepatitis C.
The Minister showed the IHS members a report he commissioned from Paul Gardiner, Senior Counsel, about inquiring into the role of international drug firms who made products which infected Irish haemophiliacs. It is believed that more than 90 haemophiliacs were infected with HIV from blood products imported into the country, but the Lindsay Tribunal only examined the Irish response to what happened.
The Society has said it will "stop at nothing" to ensure that the pharmaceutical companies are investigated. The Minister said the conclusions of Mr Gardiner's report would be published after the meeting, but an opinion by a New York law firm will be withheld for the moment.
The crucial issue from Mr Gardiner's report will be whether he believes it would be possible for a Tribunal in Ireland to get access to internal drug firm documents used in litigation in the United States. These documents are housed at a depository in Florida but controlled by a court in Chicago.
