Mícheal Martin has appointed a lawyer to investigate the American-based documentation concerning the infection of haemophiliacs with Hepatitis C and HIV. The Minister for Health has appointed an Irish lawyer to carry out the investigation, which will involve looking at the documentation of pharmaceutical companies.
The Lindsay Tribunal has already ruled that such an investigation is outside its scope. The Irish Haemophilia Society said that it believed this would lead to a separate Tribunal.
The Minister has appointed senior counsel, Paul Gardiner, to travel to the US as soon as possible to ascertain the maintenance of documentation in a depository in Pensacola in Florida. He will also investigate the possibility of retaining the documentation at its current location.
Mr Gardiner will liaise with lawyers from the IHS and will furnish a report to the Minister as the earliest possible time. At the centre of this are the documents relating to the multi-national pharmaceutical companies involved in the possible infection of Irish haemophiliacs with Hepatitis C and HIV.
The IHS believes these documents are important evidence, which were seen in previous litigation in the US. The IHS intends sending its own lawyer to examine the documents. The IHS's Rosemary Daly said that she believed the lawyers would have their reports ready by the end of November.
Their information, she believes, will lead to the establishment of a new tribunal of inquiry into the infection of haemophiliacs.
