Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 23 January 2014
222. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if he or his Department has received a submission from Positive Action in relation to women who received Anti D but who are testing negative; the actions he is taking in relation to the report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3289/14]
View answerI have recently received a submission from Positive Action in relation to women who received Anti D but who have never tested antibody positive for the virus. I have reviewed the issues raised and I am satisfied that the current legislation is fair and reasonable and so there are no plans to amend it. Section 4 of the Hepatitis C Compensation Tribunal Act (No.34 of l997), as amended, sets out the categories of persons who can make a claim before the Compensation Tribunal. This Act was amended by the Hepatitis C Compensation Tribunal (Amendment) Act, 2006 (No.22 of 2006) where it is clearly defined that those who can make a claim must have been "diagnosed positive for Hepatitis C". It is estimated that up to 16,000 women in Ireland were exposed to potentially infectious batches of Anti-D. Approximately 1,000 of these women were infected with Hepatitis C and were therefore eligible to apply to the Tribunal for compensation.
