Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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Question 172: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children her views on correspondence (details supplied); the action or meetings her Department has had or proposes to have in regard to addressing the matter; the number of meetings she or her officials have had with the group; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20058/06]

Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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Question 173: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children her views in regard to correspondence (details supplied); the action or meetings her Department has had or proposes in regard to addressing the matter; the meetings with the group that she or her officials have had; the action or proposed action of such meetings; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20059/06]

Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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Question 181: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children her views on correspondence (details attached); the action she is taking to address the matter; the meetings she or her Department have had with the group; the results of such meetings; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19935/06]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 187: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if she has received correspondence from a group (details supplied) in Dublin 2; her plans to address the issue at an early date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20027/06]

Marian Harkin (Sligo-Leitrim, Independent)
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Question 189: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children when the proposed Insurance Bill for persons infected with HIV or hepatitis C through provision of contaminated blood or blood products by the State will be enacted. [20036/06]

Liam Twomey (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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Question 191: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children when the legislation for the insurance scheme for persons infected with hepatitis C or HIV through provision of contaminated blood or blood products by the State will be published; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20041/06]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 172, 173, 181, 187, 189 and 191 together.

I wish to assure the Deputies that I am committed to ensuring that an insurance scheme for persons infected with Hepatitis C and HIV through the administration of blood and blood products within the State is established on a statutory basis as soon as possible. The legislation is included as a priority in the Government's Legislative Programme for the current session and it is my firm intention that the enabling legislation will be enacted before the summer recess.

The process of drafting the legislation, which is both complex and innovative, is almost complete. As soon as I receive the final agreed text from my legal advisors I will submit it to the Government for approval and will publish it as soon as Government approval is received.

My officials have worked closely on the provisions of the insurance scheme with the groups representing persons infected with Hepatitis C and HIV, and I have also met the groups on this and other matters. In relation to the enquiries from the Deputies regarding further meetings, I will set a date to meet the representative groups as soon as I have the final text of the legislation.