Delay in vaccines inquiry criticised

Adoption Ireland has criticised the delay in holding public hearings into the vaccine trials which took place in children's homes over 30 years ago.Adoption Ireland has criticised the delay in holding public hearings into the vaccine trials which took place in children's homes over 30 years ago.

The trials were conducted to test a new four-in-one vaccine for diphtheria, whooping cough, polio and tetanus, and the Laffoy Commission is still addressing the issue of legal representation for those adopted children in care in the years 1960 and 1961.

However, the actual hearings are not due to open until June, and people who believe they may have been used in later trials in the 1970s are becoming concerned about the delay, according to the organisation, which held a public meeting in Galway at the weekend.

Up to 2,000 former residents of orphanages and mother-and-baby homes have contacted the Laffoy Commission in relation to medical trials in institutions, and Mr Anton Sweeney of Adoption Ireland said that many of his association's members were worried about the commission's pace of work. Many members felt that the full circumstances surrounding the trials would not be addressed.

Mr Sweeney said he believed the Laffoy Commission was lacking resources to tackle the issue.

Adoption Ireland maintains that every person who was resident in a children's home and believes they may have been used in a trial should have legal representation.