Hep C group Positive Action threatened to lodge EU complaint if Government cut aid

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 warning was sent by email last week to the Department of the Taoiseach and the Department of Health after Positive Action was put on notice that the HSE was considering withdrawing aid — which it has now done — on foot of serious concerns about “inappropriate and extravagant use of public funds”. Both departments have confirmed receiving correspondence from the group.

The email said ministers had been jailed elsewhere on foot of scandals such as the one that led to more than 1,000 women being given anti D infected with hepatitis C by the Blood Transfusion Service Board.