More than €16.3m was paid out in compensation last year to claimants who were infected with Hepatitis C and HIV through contaminated blood products more than two decades ago and their relatives.

A new hepatitis C support group set up after its predecessor had funding pulled for "inappropriate and extravagant" use of public money is unlikely to receive any funding from the HSE.

A HSE audit of the Hepatitis C support group Positive Action, which was wound up earlier this year, has identified "inappropriate" and extravagant expenditure using taxpayers’ money on the likes of relaxation weekends, gifts and even the cost of dog kennels.

A support group for women given contaminated blood products by the State has been wound up with debts in excess of €107,000.

A new Hep C support group has formed to replace the organisation whose funding was pulled because of concerns about “inappropriate and extravagant” use of public money.

A hepatitis C support group whose funding has been pulled spent almost €13,000 of public funds on a pampering and relaxation weekend despite being instructed not to do so, according to the Health Service Executive.

A support group for women given contaminated blood products by the State threatened the Government it would lodge a complaint in the European courts if the HSE pulled its funding.

The HSE has pulled the plug on funding for a support group for women given contaminated blood products by the State, on foot of serious concerns about “inappropriate and extravagant” use of public funds.

The future of a support group for women given contaminated blood products by the State is in serious doubt following indications that the HSE is to pull its funding.

It’s been 20 years since the country first heard of the anti-D scandal. Initial alarm has now been joined by anger and grief, and the story isn’t finished yet, writes Caroline O’Doherty

A former principal biochemist with the Blood Transfusion Service Board who had been charged in relation to the infection of women with Hepatitis C has had an application for legal costs refused.

The Director of Public Prosecutions has refused to say why charges relating to the infection of women with Hepatitis C were dropped against the former principal biochemist with the Blood Transfusion Service Board.

A date has been set to hear an application for payment of the legal costs of the former Principal Biochemist in the Blood Transfusion Service Board in a case relating to the infection of women with Hepatitis C.

A date has been set for later this month to decide who will pay the legal costs for the former Principal Biochemist in the Blood Transfusion Service Board relating to the infection of women with hepatitis C.

The charges against the former principal biochemist in the Blood Transfusion Service Board (BTSB) relating to the infection of women with Hepatitis C have been dropped at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.

IRISH maternity hospitals need to soften their opposition to the collection and preservation of stem cells from the umbilical cords of newborns, according to one of the country’s leading stem cell researchers.

Officials in the Department of Foreign Affairs are not being allowed to use hi-tech gadgets like BlackBerrys over fears that sensitive data could be spied upon.

A stay has been put on fixing a Circuit Court trial date for the former principal biochemist in the Blood Transfusion Service Board on charges relating to the infection of women with Hepatitis C.

TAOISEACH Bertie Ahern yesterday denied that emergency health legislation being rushed through the Dáil this week was “political camouflage” to help railroad the Government’s co-location plans through the Dáil.

The former Principal Biochemist in the Blood Transfusion Service Board, Cecily Cunningham, is to go on trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on charges relating to the infection of seven women with Hepatitis C.

JUDGES could be set to expose their curly locks — or balding heads — under plans to review antiquated laws governing how they dress in court.

THE DPP has contemporary evidence from witnesses and documents indicating that the former Principal Biochemist in the Blood Transfusion Service Board, Cecily Cunningham, was aware of a risk of infected anti-D blood product from 1977 and had inadequately responded to that risk, the High Court was told yesterday.

A WOMAN who had her abdomen unnecessarily cut open, after she was misdiagnosed as carrying twins, was compensated by over €100,000 in an out-of-court settlement.

A FORMER blood bank official who was facing criminal charges relating to the blood transfusion scandal has died.

A LONDON-based law firm has been engaged by the Government to investigate the role played by US-based pharmaceutical firms in the blood contamination scandal.

THE number of donors suing the blood board for delays in telling them they had hepatitis C is set to rise following the Irish Blood Transfusion Service’s (IBTS) public apology yesterday.

EFFORTS by haemophiliacs to sue the drug companies responsible for infecting them with contaminated blood were yesterday stalled once more by the Government.

TWO former blood bank officials charged with offences arising from the hepatitis C blood contamination scandal are due to appear in Dublin District Court today.

Two former senior officials with the Blood Transfusion Service Board have been charged with grievous bodily harm in connection with the Hepatitis C scandal.

HEALTH board bosses will shortly appear before the public finance watchdog to explain the €20 million medical card system blunder.

IN business, there's an old saying that turnover is vanity and profit is sanity.

THE charging of Armour Pharmaceuticals in connection with the death of an Irish boy infected with tainted blood was a vindication of the Irish Haemophilia Society’s campaign for a State inquiry into the role of international drug companies.

HAEMOPHILIACS who received contaminated blood products want the Dáil to send the Lindsay Tribunal report to the Director of Public Prosecutions.

THE Blood Transfusion Service Board has been strongly criticised by the Lindsay Tribunal report for its role in infecting seven haemophiliacs with HIV and a larger number of people with Hepatitis C.

THE Department of Health was criticised for failures in its supervisory role over the Blood Transfusion Service Board by the Lindsay Report.

WITH the publication of the findings of the Lindsay Tribunal, and the recommendations it contains, hopefully one of the most shameful episodes in the history of the State will be finally concluded — except for one issue.

THE head of the regional haemophilia treatment centre in Cork should have acted more quickly and taken greater steps to ensure a safer blood product was available to her patients, the Lindsay Report states.

IT is unlikely that anyone will be prosecuted in connection with the deaths of 79 people who were given contaminated blood products, following the publication of the Lindsay Tribunal report yesterday.

Former health minister Rory O'Hanlon has told the Lindsay Tribunal he thought HIV infection in haemophiliacs during his term in office, resulted from imported blood products.

Former Health Minister Barry Desmond is due to give evidence to the Lindsay Tribunal today.

Former Health Minister Barry Desmond has told the Lindsay Tribunal he is appalled at being given incorrect information during the unfolding Aids crisis among haemophiliacs.

The Irish Haemophilia Society has lost its application for a judicial review of the banning of certain documents by the Lyndsay Tribunal.

Health Minister Micheál Martin has waived his right to legal privilege over documents so they can be handed over to the Lindsay Tribunal.