Two people are before the courts on charges relating to the transmission of hepatitis C via blood and blood products. The issue of possible prosecutions relating to the transmission of HIV via blood products is a matter for the Director of Public Prosecutions. It would be inappropriate for me to comment on these matters.
I have met on a number of occasions with the support groups representing persons who acquired hepatitis C and HIV via blood and blood products and have listened carefully to the issues which they have brought to my attention. Officials of my Department have regular contact with persons infected with hepatitis C and HIV and their families, and are familiar with the issues which are of concern to these groups. There are a number of fora where my officials, the support groups and the service providers meet together to work in collaboration on relevant matters.
The Consultative Council on Hepatitis C was established in 1996 and has 16 members, appointed for a three-year period. The four main patient support groups, Positive Action, Transfusion Positive, Irish Kidney Association, Irish Haemophilia Society, perform a vital role as advocates for their members and nominate six of the members of the consultative council. The council operates on the basis of equality and teamwork and has proved a useful forum for pursuing issues of national concern. In collaboration with the council and the support groups within the last year alone my Department has published an information guide on primary care and hospital services for persons with hepatitis C; two information leaflets, one on the Health (Amendment) Act card and one on hospital services for persons with hepatitis C, organised an information day on hepatitis C in Dublin Castle, and organised an international conference on hepatitis C which took place on 25 to 27 June in Trinity College, Dublin.
One of the recommendations of the Lindsay tribunal was for the establishment of a National Haemophilia Council to advise on all aspects of the care and treatment of persons with haemophilia. The council has had two meetings this year on an ad hoc basis, and will be established under statutory instrument in the coming weeks. The product selection and monitoring group, which will become a committee of the council under the planned statutory instrument, has been operating successfully on an ad hoc basis for almost three years now. Both the council and the PSMAG include representatives of my Department, the Irish Haemophilia Society and the relevant service providers working in co-operation together.
In addition to the consultative bodies, regular meetings are held at national level between the support groups, service providers and my Department in order to monitor services and identify emerging needs on an ongoing basis. The support groups also meet with individual hospitals and consultants to discuss specific issues of concern to their members. All four support groups are funded by the Department to provide support services to their members, and to represent their members' interests with service providers. I can assure the Deputy that the support groups do not hesitate to ensure that the concerns of their members are made known to myself, my Department, and to the service providers.
