The payment of full compensation by the State to haemophiliacs infected with HIV from contaminated blood products has been delayed. Legal advisers for the Minister for Health, Mr Martin, and the Irish Haemophilia Society, however, are due to meet this week in an attempt to accelerate the drafting of legislation to allow compensation be paid.
An amendment to the 1997 Hepatitis C Compensation Tribunal Act to allow for compensation claims by HIV-infected haemophiliacs was promised last autumn. The Department of Health has confirmed it was not possible to prepare amending legislation within the time because of the need to examine "highly complex" issues.
Ms Rosemary Daly, administrator of the IHS, said the delay was disappointing. "I hope the Department is cognisant of the fact that people infected could have short lifespans," she said.