The Cork mother of two who was transferred to a London hospital ahead of a planned liver transplant died last night.
Ms Sylvia O'Leary (32), from Ballincollig, died having spent several years battling against hepatitis C. A spokesperson for King's College Hospital in London said she had passed away shortly after 10 p.m. Ms O'Leary was brought to London for what would have been her third liver transplant.
She contracted hepatitis C from contaminated blood products received following a liver transplant in 1991.
Before her transfer, Ms O'Leary's family was in dispute with the Minister for Health, Mr Martin, who they said was postponing "signing off" on a €1 million compensation package because Ms O'Leary was at risk of imminent death.
This claim was denied by the Minister for Health, Mr Martin, who said his Department would honour an agreement made in early December.
The Department finalised details of a compensation package for Ms O'Leary on Christmas Eve after the family had gone public on the matter.
The State was considered liable for the infection because that Ms O'Leary was under its care at the time she contracted hepatitis C.
She is survived by her husband, Des, who was at her bedside and her children, Emma (13) and Dillon (6).