Blood suppliers inquiry considered

HEALTH Minister Micheál Martin may ask the High Court to appoint an inspector to investigate the role of international drug companies in supplying contaminated blood to Irish haemophiliacs.

This follows the publication of the damning Lindsay Tribunal report into the infection of more than 260 haemophiliacs with HIV and hepatitis C.

But the two-year inquiry which cost the State 20 million may not lead to any criminal prosecutions unless the Director of Public Prosecution finds there were any breaches of the criminal law.

Some relatives of haemophiliacs who died after receiving contaminated blood products said yesterday they did not believe the Lindsay Tribunal report went far enough.

Linda Dowling said: “I get the impression this report does not point the finger of blame at anyone.”

To date 79 haemophiliacs have died from contaminated blood products and the Irish Haemophilia Society (IHS) wants a full inquiry into the role of international pharmaceutical companies in this scandal.

Minister Martin has given a commitment to carry out an inquiry into the role of the international drugs companies in the blood contamination scandal.

The law relating to tribunals changed earlier this year and now an inquiry can be carried out by an inspector appointed by a judge, rather than a full and expensive tribunal.

The Minister’s spokesman confirmed yesterday that he will meet with the IHS shortly to discuss the exact nature the future investigation will take.

Asked if this would include an inspector’s inquiry, the Minister’s spokesman said all options would be considered.

Minister Martin sent senior counsel Paul Gardiner to the United States last November to check out the feasibility of securing documents from drug companies who supplied blood products to Ireland.

But it is understood that a report submitted by Mr Gardiner to the Minister in March advised that any case taken against the US drug companies by the Irish authorities would be very unlikely to succeed.

It is understood the Government is reluctant to publish it on the grounds that its negative advice could undermine any prospect of a case.

Labour’s equality spokesperson Jan O’Sullivan has called on the Minister to publish Mr Gardiner’s report and also to refer the Lindsay Tribunal report to the DPP.

But the Minister’s spokesman said Mr Martin had only received the Lindsay Tribunal report on Thursday and will be considering it at length over the coming weeks before any decision is made.

“The Lindsay Tribunal was set up by the Dáil and its report will be discussed at length by the Dáil where the Minister will make a full statement on the matter,” he said.