Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 27 Mar 2001

Vol. 533 No. 3

Written Answers. - Hospital Services.

Richard Bruton

Question:

200 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Health and Children his Department's policy with respect to persons who contracted the hepatitis C virus through blood products in another EU country, with regard to their entitlement here to the same services as are offered to those who contracted the disease through Irish blood products. [8754/01]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Martin)

Health services are available to all persons ordinarily resident in this country who contracted hepatitis C, regardless of the source. Depending on the person's financial circumstances, all such persons have either full eligibility, that is, medical card holders, or limited eligibility for health services. Statutory responsibility for the provision of health services rests with the health boards and Eastern Regional Health Authority in the first instance.

The Deputy has contacted me recently regarding a person who contracted hepatitis C while abroad. As a result, I understand that an officer of the Eastern Regional Health Authority has contacted the Deputy directly with a view to discussing the availability of services to the individual in question.

As the Deputy is aware, persons who contracted hepatitis C through the administration within the State of infected blood or blood products are entitled to a range of health care and support services as well as financial compensation. These services are made available because of the particular circumstances surrounding the use of contaminated anti-D product within the State, and the consequent effects on the national blood supply. The relevant legislation is the Health (Amendment) Act, 1996 and the Hepatitis C Compensation Tribunal Act, 1997 which cover "persons who . . . contracted Hepatitis C directly or indirectly from the use of Human Immunoglobulin Anti-D or the receipt within the State of another blood product or blood transfusion . . .".

The circumstances regarding the anti-D contamination in this country do not apply to persons who contracted hepatitis C abroad and accordingly they are not encompassed by the legislation referred to above.

On two occasions, compensation has been paid by the State to persons who were referred to the UK for treatment and contracted hepatitis C during that treatment. Both patients were referred abroad under the aegis of a health board as the services they required were not available here at the time. I am prepared to consider similar further cases should they arise.

Tests for hepatitis C were first introduced in 1991. Before that date, receipt of a blood transfusion is universally recognised to be one of the risk factors for acquiring this disease, and does not necessarily indicate any negligence or liability on the part of the relevant health authorities. However, it is open to any person who considers that they may have issues to be pursued in this regard to consult their legal advisers.