Vol. 483 No. 2
21 Mr. Yates asked the Minister for Health and Children the action, if any, which was taken by him following his meeting with Positive Action on 24 October 1997 in view of the statement issued by him that the Director of Public Prosecution intended to initiate no prosecutions as a consequence of the hepatitis C scandal; and the result of the action, if any, taken by him arising out of this meeting. [19823/97]
46 Ms Clune asked the Minister for Health and Children the action, if any, which was taken by him following his meeting with Positive Action on 24 October 1997 in view of the statement issued by him that the Director of Public Prosecution intended to initiate no prosecutions as a consequence of the hepatitis C scandal; and the result of the action, if any, taken by him arising out of this meeting. [19824/97]
53 Mrs. Barnes asked the Minister for Health and Children the action, if any, which was taken by him following his meeting with Positive Action on 24 October 1997 in view of the statement issued by him that the Director of Public Prosecution intended to initiate no prosecutions as a consequence of the hepatitis C scandal; and the result of the action, if any, taken by him arising out of this meeting. [19825/97]
124 Mr. Shatter asked the Minister for Health and Children the action, if any, which was taken by him following his meeting with Positive Action on 24 October 1997 in view of the statement issued by him that the Director of Public Prosecutions intended to initiate no prosecutions as a consequence of the hepatitis C scandal; and the result of the action, if any, taken by him arising out of this meeting. [19965/97]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 21, 46, 53 and 124 together.
On 23 October I received a request from Positive Action for a meeting to discuss the decision of the Director of Public Prosecutions in relation to the report of the Tribunal of Inquiry into the Blood Transfusion Service Board. I had previously advised Positive Action of that decision when I met its executive on 16 October.
In response to its request I met Positive Action on 24 October at which I was handed a letter raising a number of questions in relation to the decision of the DPP and asking me to request the Attorney General to convene a statutory meeting with the DPP. Immediately after the meeting, I arranged to have a copy of the letter from Positive Action brought to the attention of the Attorney General. On 29 October I received a further letter from Positive Action raising additional legal queries and that letter was also brought to the attention of the Attorney General. I might also mention that I received a letter on 31 October from the family of the late Brigid McCole requesting that there be a full Garda investigation into the death of their mother and that all avenues be explored in relation to any legal action which might be taken against those they consider responsible. The Attorney General and the DPP met on 14 November and I hope to be in a position to respond to the McCole family and Positive Action shortly.
