The owner of a taxi business who sustained serious brain injuries after a large tree fell and crushed the school minibus he was driving has secured damages of €1.254 million.
Mr Justice John Quirke in the High Court awarded the sum to John McKenna (49), who requires permanent care as a result of injuries suffered when the tree struck the minibus containing himself and seven schoolchildren.
The bus was crushed and its occupants trapped. The incident occurred at Dundalk Road, Castleblayney, Co Monaghan, in February 2002. Mr McKenna, of Keady, Co Armagh, claimed Monaghan County Council negligently failed to inspect the tree and have it removed.