Vol. 552 No. 4
35 Ms O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health and Children if he has received the report commissioned from a person (details supplied) in regard to the steps which are open to the State to investigate the role of certain multinational companies which the Lindsay tribunal ruled to be outside its terms of reference; if he has brought proposals to Government on this issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12557/02]
On 7 November 2001, I appointed Mr. Paul Gardiner, senior counsel, to produce a situation report about the position in Ireland and in the United States in respect of a possible investigation into the actions of the multinational pharmaceutical companies whose products are implicated in the HIV and hepatitis C infection of persons with haemophilia.
As part of his investigations, Mr. Gardiner liaised with the solicitors acting for the Irish Haemophilia Society. He travelled to the United States and spoke to a number of relevant experts, including the lead counsel in the HIV haemophiliac litigation in the United States. Mr. Gardiner also received legal advice from a major New York law firm, Simpson, Thacher and Bartlett, in relation to the matters relevant to his investigations.
I received Mr. Gardiner's report on 5 March. The report consists of a 60 page opinion and a number of appendices, one of which comprises over 50 pages of legal advice from the US lawyers.
I have briefed my Cabinet colleagues on the contents of the report, and I have provided the Irish Haemophilia Society with a copy of the report. However, as I have already explained to the society, my main priority, and that of the Government, has been to ensure that the hepatitis C compensation tribunal is enabled to compensate HIV-infected haemophiliacs and their dependants. The relevant legislation has now been passed by the Oireachtas. Mr. Gardiner's report and the issues associated with it will be fully considered by the Government as soon as possible.
