Crumlin hospital apologises to family of deceased haemophiliac boy

Our Lady's Children's Hospital in Crumlin in Dublin has today apologised to the family of a two-year-old haemophiliac boy who died following an operation that was meant to transform his life.

Speaking outside the High Court, Pierce Nowlan's mother Jean said in the seven years since her son's death they had been met with a wall of silence from the hospital.

Pierce Nowlan from Saggart, Dublin, turned two years old on the day of the operation to offset the effects of his haemophilia.

An artery was punctured during the procedure and he died three days later on October 14, 2004 from brain damage due to a lack of oxygen.

Today, Our Lady's Children Hospital in Crumlin has apologised in the High Court and admitted that in many respects, Pierce's care was not as it should have been.

His mother Jean Nowlan believes they were failed by the hospital.

"It has taken seven years, a High Court action, and a Coroner's Act to be amended to finally get an admission of liability, an answer, and an apology," she said.

"As grieving parents, we should not have had to meet a wall of silence and a culture of denial from the hospital

"We put our trust in Crumlin Hospital, and they failed us and our son."

The HSE has settled an action for damages with Jean and Stephen Nowlan but the terms of the agreement have not been disclosed.

"Nothing will ever bring our son back, and we will miss him every day of our lives," said Jean Nowlan.

"But if the hospital has learned that it needs to improve its procedures, and how it provides information to grieving families, at least something positive will have come out of this terrible tragedy."