Vol. 555 No. 2
123 Ms B. Moynihan-Cronin 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 multi-national 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. [18054/02]
On 7 November 2001, I appointed Mr. Paul Gardiner, senior counsel, to advise me in relation to 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 in relation to the matters relevant to his investigations. I received Mr. Gardiner's report on 5 March and briefed my Cabinet colleagues on the contents of the report on 7 March. I provided the Irish Haemophilia Society with a copy of the report. I discussed the matter with the Irish Haemophilia Society last week and I intend to meet Mr. Gardiner in the near future to discuss how the matter will be progressed.
