Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Health if he will agree to meet with a person (details supplied) in Dublin 15; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41494/12]

Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Health if he is considering extending by regulation the class or classes of persons who make a claim for compensation before the Hepatitis C Tribunal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41495/12]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 531 and 532 together.

Section 4 of the Hepatitis C Compensation Tribunal Act (No.34 of 1997), as amended, sets out the categories of persons who can make a claim before the Compensation Tribunal. This Act was amended in 2006 by the Hepatitis C Compensation Tribunal (Amendment) Act, 2006 (No. 22 of 2006) to provide a clear definition for "diagnosed positive for Hepatitis C". I am satisfied that the present legislation is fair and reasonable and I have no plans to amend it.

For this reason I do not think a meeting would be beneficial at this time but I will of course review any new information which becomes available in relation to this matter. My officials spoke to the person who has made this request and explained the rationale for the State's position on this issue. Her question has also been replied to in previous representations and Parliamentary Questions. While I am sympathetic to the small number of women whose case she represents, and who have tested negative for Hepatitis C, it is estimated that up to 16,000 women in Ireland were exposed to potentially infectious batches of Anti-D. Approximately 1,000 of these women were infected with Hepatitis C and were therefore eligible to apply to the Tribunal for compensation. However, extending eligibility to those who have tested negative for Hepatitis C would have significant implications for the compensation scheme overall.