A health board has tried to block the hearing in Dublin City Coroner's Court of an expert report on the possible contribution of the three-in-one vaccine to a death before the court.
The inquest into the death of Mr Alan Duffy (22), of Howth Road, Dublin, has been adjourned on a number of occasions for the completion of the report on the possibility that a three-in-one vaccine caused him brain damage and contributed to his death.
When the Dublin City Coroner, Dr Brian Farrell, yesterday said he had the final report and wished to fix a hearing date, Mr Ian Finlay SC, for the Eastern Health Board, submitted that the High Court would be the proper forum for any investigation.
Mr Finlay said the ramifications of any judgment made would have an impact on the health of children being born every day in the State. It would need evidence from all over the world and the best proofs available. Only the High Court could hear the case "and a coroner's court hearing runs the risk of trespassing on the question of civil liability".
Mr Paul Gardiner, for the Duffy family, said the coroner's court commonly looked into the total circumstances of any death it investigated.
Dr Farrell said he deemed it within the remit of the coroner's court to hear the report as it was in the wider public interest. He fixed April 19th, 20th and 21st for the hearing.