The Tribunal was set up by the Irish Government in 1995 to compensate, inter alia, persons infected with Hepatitis C as a result of the use of Human Immunoglobulin Anti-D or as a result of the receipt of a blood transfusion or blood product within the Republic of Ireland.

The Tribunal became a Statutory Body with the enactment of the Hepatitis C Compensation Tribunal Act, 1997.  In addition, the Hepatitis C Compensation Tribunal Amendment Act, 2002 makes provision to compensate, inter alia, persons infected with HIV as a result of the receipt of a relevant blood product within the Republic of Ireland.