REACTION:AS WELL as documentation relating to expenses filed by Transfusion Positive and by Positive Action in the Freedom of Information documents released to The Irish Times, both organisations provide explanations of the benefits of their activities.
In correspondence between the HSE and Transfusion Positive, the organisation says: “Psychologically the effect of the weekends help our members keep a positive wellness and general health even after the weekend is finished. Our members’ families benefit from the experience of other families who have dealt with the many aspects of hepatitis C.”
In relation to international conferences, the correspondence notes that these are attended by “members of the executive committee in order to secure medical information specific to our members who are State-infected”.
In a statement released last night, a spokeswoman for Transfusion Positive said it had “always submitted certified audited accounts to the HSE, keeping in mind transparency, governance and probity at all times.
“It would be inappropriate to comment any further at this stage as we are in discussions with the Minister and Department of Health/HSE,” she added.
In Positive Action’s correspondence with the HSE, a representative says the weekends “have proven to be of significant value to our members and their families”. She also notes the importance of its executive members attending conferences relating to hepatitis C.
In a statement, Positive Action said its members’ chronic illness had a “significant impact upon their quality of life and life expectancy”, adding that the State had accepted liability for the circumstances that resulted in this potentially fatal contamination.
However, it said it would not be appropriate for it “to engage in a public discourse” on the issues surrounding its funding negotiations.