Boy in playground fall awarded €40,000

A boy who fractured his elbow after falling off monkey bars in a playground has settled his High Court action against a school for €40,000.

James Farrell was aged five when he fell off monkey bars after being brought with a group to a local playground when attending a summer camp at Lucan East Educate Together school in 2013, the court heard.

His counsel David Houghton said the child, now aged nine, landed on his left elbow, suffered a nasty fracture and was later transferred to hospital where he had to have surgery on the elbow. He has been left with a scar.

Through his father Keith Farrell, Moyglass Dene, Lucan, the boy sued the board of management of Lucan East Educate Together national school, Grisheen Avenue, Lucan, as a result of the accident while he was attending a summer camp on July 11th, 2013.

It was claimed the child was permitted play on the monkey bars in circumstances where they knew or ought to have know known they represented a danger to him.

It was further claimed there was failure to operate any, or any adequate, system of supervision and failure to have regard to the age and maturity of the boy in permitting him to play on the monkey bars.

The claims were denied.

Approving the settlement, Mr Justice Kevin Cross said James had made a very good recovery.

The judge added he hoped the settlement money available to him when he comes of age will provide a deposit on a house at a time after the accident is long forgotten.