Govt to begin appeal against Hep C ruling

The Supreme Court will today begin hearing the Government's appeal against a ruling allowing people infected with Hepatitis C through contaminated blood products to seek compensation over and above that awarded by the Hepatitis C Compensation Tribunal.

The tribunal has already awarded €290m to victims of the infection scandals, but that figure could rise substantially if the Government's appeal fails.

The Supreme Court was due to begin hearing the case last month, but it was adjourned until today when Chief Justice Ronan Keane disqualified himself from the proceedings.