Woman subjected to ‘barbaric’ surgery

An elderly woman who was the victim of a brutal medical procedure more than 60 years ago has said she was treated worse than an animal.

Mairin O’Moore is one of more than 22,000 women to sign a petition given to a cross-party Oireachtas group to demand justice for victims, after her pelvis was deliberately cracked open as she gave birth to her first child.

Doctors performed the procedure of symphysiotomy without her knowledge, leaving Ms O’Moore with permanent damage, both physical and emotional.