Mark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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I will not take four minutes. The Minister may be in a position to outline an update in respect of Government policy and the compensation scheme in respect of hepatitis C.

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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I am taking this Adjournment matter on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Health, Deputy Reilly, in response to Senator Daly, who I thank for his brevity.

I am pleased to have the opportunity to update the House on this important compensation scheme. Members will be aware that between 1977 and 1994, at least 1,000 women in Ireland were infected with hepatitis C from contaminated anti-D immunoglobulin produced by the Blood Transfusion Service Board. Following the conclusions of an expert group set up by the Government and a later judicial inquiry known as the Finlay tribunal, which reported in March 1997, a non-statutory compensation scheme was set up in December 1995 and a statutory compensation tribunal came into operation in November 1997. It also was established that approximately 100 of the infected women were blood donors, recycling hepatitis C infection through the blood supply until screening was introduced in 1991. The Government therefore decided to extend the compensation scheme to all people infected with hepatitis C through the administration within the State of infected blood and blood products.

In 2002 the remit of the compensation tribunal was extended to include compensation for HIV infection through blood products. It is estimated that, in total, approximately 1,700 people were infected with hepatitis C. Most of the persons with haemophilia who were infected with hepatitis C also were infected with HIV. The total cost of the hepatitis C and HIV compensation tribunal from 1996 to the end of December 2011, including payments to more than 3,219 claimants, legal fees and administrative costs, is in excess of €1 billion. Approximately 800 claims await a hearing. An actuarial report commissioned by the tribunal estimates that the compensation scheme will continue to cost a significant amount of money in the years ahead.

The Minister continues to support the compensation scheme as an appropriate response to the State's actions in the past. The Government is committed to compensating those who were infected by blood and blood products administered by the State. The Minister is very conscious of the total cost of the compensation scheme and that it will continue to make awards to those affected for many years to come. The Minister will keep the costs and operation of the tribunal under careful review. The priority in this area will be to ensure persons with hepatitis C and HIV are appropriately compensated and that they will receive the services and supports they require to manage their condition. This includes the provision of appropriate home support services and the insurance support scheme whereby people who have a loading on their premium or are deemed uninsurable due to their infection can acquire insurance at the same rate as a non-infected person.

The Minister's focus will continue to be on meeting the needs of persons with hepatitis C and HIV in the best possible way. This comprises both fair compensation and the right services and supports.

Mark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Minister for his reply.