Hep C tribunal spending past €500m

THE total expenditure of the hepatitis C and HIV Compensation Tribunal has now passed €500 million, according to figures seen by the Irish Examiner.

As of December 1, 2003, the total costs of awards and reparation paid to those who contracted hepatitis C and HIV from blood transfusions stood at over €460m with another €75m in legal fees and other costs.

The final figure is expected to be much larger as several hundred cases have not yet reached completion.