Girl, 12, gets €2.6m for injuries at birth

A 12-year-old girl who has cerebral palsy as a result of injuries caused at her birth at Midland Regional Hospital yesterday received an apology from the HSE and the consultant obstetrician who treated her.

Roisin Conroy, who can only communicate with her eyes and is permanently disabled, was given the apology as part of the settlement of her damages action with an interim payment of €2.6m.

Ms Justice Mary Irvine was told her parents had to give up their jobs to devote themselves to the care of their daughter.

Roisin, who attends a special needs school, has dyskinetic cerebral palsy and needs a wheelchair to get around.

She had sued, through her mother Mary Conroy, of Dysart, Portlaoise, Laois, the HSE, and a consultant obstetrician, John P Corristine, attached to Portlaoise General Hospital, now the Midland Regional Hospital, as a result of injuries sustained at the time of her birth on Nov 14, 2001.

The settlement, which allows for Roisin’s family to return to court in two years when her future needs will be decided, was with an admission of liability.

Counsel for the HSE and Mr Corristine, Murray McGrath SC, read out an apology in open court.

“I am instructed by the defendants and it is a term of the settlement to express their sincere apologies for the failings that caused injuries to Roisin Conroy and the consequential trauma experienced by Roisin and her family,” it said.

The statement added: “They understand that neither this apology nor the financial compensation granted by the court can negate the heartache the Conroy family must feel every day and appreciate that this continues to be a very difficult time for them.”

Approving the settlement, Ms Justice Irvine said she hoped it would bring some normality to the Conroys’ lives. She said she knew no money could compensate for the injuries which occurred to Roisin but it will help give the family the support so she can have the best quality of life.