Patients infected with HIV and hepatitis C got €16.5m in 2014

Millions paid in compensation to those affected by contaminated blood products

More than €16.5 million in compensation was paid in 2014 to people infected with hepatitis C and HIV by contaminated blood products from the Blood Transfusion Service Board more than two decades ago.

More than €689 million has been paid by a compensation tribunal since 1995, along with almost €151 million in payments from a reparation fund.

Meanwhile, the High Court has awarded €84.4 million to victims.

Legal costs have been settled for 3,621 claims, costing €165.3 million, including €6.6 million in 2014. Solicitors Malcolmson Law received €4 million; Arthur McLean €885,000 and Ivor Fitzpatrick received €755,000.

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The tribunal was set up to deal with claims from people who were given contaminated anti-D human immunoglobulin manufactured by the Blood Transfusion Service Board from 1970-94.

Major difficulty

The scandal caused major political difficulty for Fine Gael's Michael Noonan who was Minister for Health from 1994-97.

In her report, tribunal chairwoman Karen O'Driscoll SC said 76 new claims were lodged in 2014, bringing the total number so far to 4,731.

Nearly 600 claims await hearing.

Fees paid to tribunal members totalled €214,794 in 2014.

Gordon Deegan

Gordon Deegan

Gordon Deegan is a contributor to The Irish Times