Documents received by The Irish Times under a Freedom of Information request, which sought correspondence between the HSE and both groups, reveal that Transfusion Positive spent €132,856 on five weekends away for its members and non-infected family members in Ireland in 2010. Transfusion Positive represents men, women and children infected with hepatitis C through contaminated blood products within the State.
The invoices for the money spent show that in the course of these trips, Transfusion Positive included more than €40,000 in complementary therapies, €1,200 in pool table rental, golf trips worth more than €2,000 and €800 spent on band rentals. On a weekend trip to the Connemara Coast Hotel in Furbo, Co Galway, in October last year, 48 members and 89 non-infected family members, including children, as well as 18 therapists and two facilitators, accrued a total cost of over €46,000. This included €350 for 70 water bottles costing €5 each; and 595 towels, the hire of which cost €892.50. Itemised receipts show that over 30 Penneys, Lifestyle Sports and Claire’s Accessories gift cards worth €15 were also invoiced.