Seán Ardagh (Dublin South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Question 181: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the position regarding compensation to be paid to partners and spouses of hepatitis C victims for loss of consortium. [4488/06]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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The Hepatitis C and HIV Compensation Tribunal (Amendment) Act 2002 extended the categories of individuals who may apply to the tribunal for compensation. Persons who are either married to a person with hepatitis C or HIV or are cohabiting for a continuous period of not less than three years may make a claim to the tribunal for loss of consortium including impairment of sexual relations arising from the risk of transmission of HIV or hepatitis C. I am informed that the tribunal has been routinely hearing cases of this nature since the commencement of the Act on 9 October 2002 and has made awards totalling €32 million in respect of approximately 420 cases. As with other categories of claim, I understand that the tribunal is in position to allocate an early hearing date to claims for loss of consortium once the relevant documentation is in order.