LAWYERS' fees in the tribunal of inquiry into the hepatitis C scandal will be "curbed", senior Government sources said last night.
As the Cabinet prepared to meet today to consider and agree terms of reference for the judicial inquiry, the sources said lawyers working on the proposed judicial tribunal are expected to have their costs capped or be paid a flat fee and it is intended that the one person tribunal would report "as early as possible next year".
Though the Minister for Health, Mr Noonan, has indicated the terms of reference should concentrate on the medical aspects of the affair, it is understood that the Labour party is pressing for a broader brief.
Senior sources within Labour last night said the inquiry "must be all encompassing and run up to the present day, because anything else would be looked upon as avoiding the issue".
A number of women judges are being named in political circles as suitable to chair the inquiry, but there was increased speculation yesterday that Ms Justice Mella Carroll will be invited to take on the task.
The tribunal will have the authority to compel witnesses to attend, to cross examine and to order the discovery of documents. Under the terms of the Tribunals of Inquiry (Evidence) Act, 1921, politicians can be called to give evidence to the inquiry.
Today's Cabinet agreement on the terms of reference for the tribunal follows the second public admission of liability in a week by the Blood Transfusion Service Board, (BTSB).
The High Court yesterday heard the BTSB was admitting that another woman infected with contaminated blood products, Mrs Mary Quinlan of Greenhills, Brownshill Road, Carlow, had been injured by its negligence.
The BTSB admitted liability in the case of Mrs Brigid McCole as a £175,000 settlement claim was reached with her lawyers just hours before her death.
Meanwhile, the Government has announced almost three hours of Dail debate on the hepatitis C controversy tomorrow and a further three hours on Thursday.
The Minister will make a 30 minute statement on the matter at 4.15 p.m. tomorrow, followed by statements from the spokespersons for Fianna Fail and the Progressive Democrats, each lasting 30 minutes. The Opposition will then be permitted to question Mr Nooran until 7 p.m.
On Thursday, the motion establishing the tribunal of inquiry will be moved at 10.30 a.m., and the debate is scheduled to run until 1.30 p m.