THE Cabinet will consider the heads of the Bill to place the Hepatitis C Compensation Tribunal on a statutory basis this morning. Positive Action, the group representing women infected through anti D, welcomed the move yesterday.
Last week the Minister for Health, Mr Noonan, said that he would not give a definite timescale for the publication of the Bill because it was extremely complex. He would only say that "the Government was giving it priority".
However, the Minister of State at the Department of Health, Mr Brian O'Shea, announced at the Labour Party annual conference that it would go before the Cabinet this morning.
Chairwoman of Positive Action Ms Jane O'Brien said yesterday that a meeting had been arranged between the group and Department of Health officials for tomorrow. We are happy that things appear to be progressing. We have been told by the Department of Health that the draft heads of the Bill will be available. We hope to get a clear indication of what the Minister for Health proposes to do," said Ms O'Brien.