Hepatitis victims pleased with inquiry

A number of women who contracted hepatitis C after receiving contaminated blood or blood products from the Blood Transfusion Service Board have made detailed statements to the Garda team investigating the matter.

The Garda investigation into the infection of the late Mrs Brigid McCole and others by the contaminated products is unlikely to be completed until next year.

A source close to the investigation confirmed the Garda team has visited hospitals and GP practices and said it had received co-operation and had not encountered any serious obstacles. It had not been necessary to resort to warrants or other legal measures, he said.

He also confirmed a number of women suffering from hepatitis C have made detailed statements to the team.

Positive Action, the group representing women infected with Anti-D, said it was very pleased with the conduct of the investigation to date.

The group's chairwoman, Ms Jane O'Brien, said the details of the investigation were a matter for the gardai. However, she added: "We are aware from our members that a huge effort is being put into the investigation and this is greatly appreciated by the infected women."

Ms O'Brien said the Garda team has spoken to a number of women who are members of Positive Action and some of those had filed individual statements. She said it appeared the Garda team was pursuing all aspects of the matter.

The investigation was established by Garda Commissioner Pat Byrne last November following strong representations to him by members of the family of Mrs McCole, who died in 1996. Mr Byrne ordered the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation to look into alleged breaches of criminal law as detailed in letters from Mrs McCole's family and from Ms O'Brien.

Earlier, the DPP had decided not to initiate prosecutions after considering the report of the Tribunal of Inquiry into the BTSB. The DPP said it was satisfied a case could not be pursued under the law as it stands.

The Garda investigation is operating out of Donnybrook station.

While Mrs McCole's condition was diagnosed as hepatitis C in 1994, she had been ill for some 10 years. Five days after her death, the then minister for health, Mr Michael Noonan, announced the establishment of the Hepatitis C Tribunal of Inquiry.