Sources close to the Irish Haemophilia Society (IHS) have confirmed that they will make a submission to have their members called to give evidence first when the tribunal of inquiry into the infection of haemophiliacs with hepatitis C and HIV resumes on Thursday.
Some of those due to give evidence are seriously ill, and it is understood one who was due to give evidence died last month.
The society also believes it would not be appropriate for sick people to be rigorously cross-examined and is anxious that the tribunal should not be adversarial in its approach.
The IHS is also expected to raise the question of costs, as all parties other than haemophiliacs will receive their legal costs on an ongoing basis. This is because the other groups, such as the Blood Transfusion Service Board, are funded by the Exchequer.
Guidelines on how the tribunal should operate and the procedures it will adopt will be decided on Thursday, but the first witnesses are not expected to start giving evidence until public hearings begin in January.
The tribunal, under the chairmanship of Judge Alison Lindsay, was established to inquire into how and why 260 people with haemophilia in the State became infected with HIV and hepatitis C from blood products.