A former senior official with the Blood Transfusion Service Board (BTSB) has started High Court proceedings to stop his trial in relation to the infection of seven women with hepatitis C through a contaminated blood product.
In judicial review proceedings against the DPP, Dr Terry Walsh, Hollypark Avenue, Blackrock, Dublin, wants orders prohibiting his trial.
Mr Justice de Valera yesterday granted leave to seek those orders and returned the matter to December 18th next.
Early last month, a former principal biochemist with the BTSB, Ms Cecily Cunningham, of Hollybank Road, Clontarf, Dublin, was also given leave to seek orders preventing her trial in relation to similar alleged offences.
Mr Hugh Hartnett SC, for Dr Walsh, said yesterday that the offences were alleged to have happened between May 24th, 1977 and April 14th, 1992. It was submitted on behalf of Dr Walsh that there had been prosecutorial delay in the case; that he was prejudiced in that many potential witnesses had died since the time of the alleged offences; and Dr Walsh had experienced ill health in recent years.