THE State will admit liability in 28 hepatitis C cases, according to the Minister for Health, Mr Noonan. In a written reply to Mr Brian Cowen, the Fianna Fail spokesman on health, he said those cases related to people who had been diagnosed antibody positive for the hepatitis C virus who got blood or blood products between February and November 1991.
The State will also admit liability to any cases which are attributed to "inadequate recall". He said 59 people who were identified as recipients of potentially infected blood or blood products had not yet been traced.
The Minister told Mr Noel Ahern (FE, Dublin North West) that 505 cases are awaiting a hearing at the compensation tribunal.