Haemophilia sufferer sues Minister for Health

A haemophilia sufferer who contracted HIV from infected blood products today served a writ on the Minister for Health and Children, Mr Martin.

The man, who is not being identified, launched the first of a series of writs which will be served on the Minister each week between now and the general election in a bid to overturn a 1991 compensation settlement in which the Government paid out £8 million.

In 1991 haemophiliacs with HIV were given ex-gratia compensation by the Government. On average this amounted to £70,000 each, with individual amounts ranging from £20,000 to £100,000.

However, the Irish Haemophilia Society (IHS) contends this was inadequate and was only accepted by families because they were desperate and under duress. They also claim the Government has failed to extend the scope of the hepatitis C compensation tribunal to include haemophiliacs infected with HIV.

"The Government has acknowledged that the terms of the 1991 settlement were neither fair nor equitable," Ms Rosemary Daly, administrator of the IHS said.

The IHS has been critical of the slow response by the Minister. "In July 2000 the Minister again made a commitment to introduce legislation during the autumn of that year," Ms Daly said.

She said as recently as February 21st, the Minister made a commitment to return to the IHS with plans for legislation. "The Minister has failed again to meet his own deadline," she said.

"Three years ago this Government committed to bring in legislation to bring about fair and equitable compensation for haemophilia sufferers who were infected with HIV from contaminated blood products.

"Commitments have been broken and our members are angry that they have not received fair and equitable compensation," said Ms Daly.

The Irish Haemophilia Society says more than 100 Irish haemophiliacs contracted HIV from blood products and of these 64 have died from AIDS-related illnesses.