Government by for and of the Corporations in land of Erron

national | miscellaneous | news report Tuesday November 26, 2002 13:53 by As for who polices the police

McDowell is a nasty piece of work

Minister attacked over reaction to inquiry call Taken from RTE.ie

Minister attacked over reaction to inquiry call

November 26, 2002

(11:30) The Minister for Justice, Michael McDowell, is under renewed criticism for expressing scepticism about a proposed inquiry into international drug firms held responsible for infecting Irish haemophiliacs with HIV and Hepatitis C.

Positive Action, which represents mothers infected with Hepatitis C from the anti-D blood product, has said it is shocked by the Minister's comments.

The group has expressed full support for the Irish Haemophilia Society.

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Last Friday, the Minister for Justice expressed concern that an inquiry into the drug firms linked to the deaths of 74 Irish haemophiliacs could be a monumental waste of exchequer funds.

He was immediately criticised by the Haemophilia Society for undermining not just a Government commitment to investigate these firms, but also the Minister for Health, Michéal Martin, who is in talks about how such an inquiry might operate.

In today's Irish Times, the Chairman of the Irish Haemophilia Society, Brian O'Mahony, accuses Mr McDowell of bullying and threatening them while Attorney General, of insulting the families of those who died and of being afraid of the drug companies.

Positive Action has also condemned the Minister. It is demanding the drug firms be investigated and all outstanding aspects of the blood contaminated scandal to be dealt with.

Transfusion Positive, representing men, women and children infected with Hepatitis C through transfusions, said closure was required on unresolved issues dating back years.

While Mr McDowell has refused to comment on the issue since last Friday, the issue is to be raised in the Dáil by the Labour Party.