Haemophiliacs' HIV came from imported blood products says former minister

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.

Mr O'Hanlon was Minister for Health from March 1987 to November 1991.

In 1989, it came to light that seven haemophiliacs had become infected with HIV from contaminated products from the Blood Transfusion Service Board.

However, Dr O'Hanlon told the tribunal he was not aware of this, and had given the Dail incorrect information at the time.

Today at the Lindsay Tribunal, he said he would contact the Ceann Comhairle, telling him there was incorrect information in the Dail records, and that he would make a statement clarifying the matter if requested to do so.

Earlier, Mr O'Hanlon was questioned about the outcome of litigation taken by the Irish Haemophilia Society in late 1990.

Eventually, the IHS accepted £9m compensation for haemophiliacs who had contracted HIV from contaminated blood products.