A former employee of the Western Health Board who claimed he developed cancer as a result of being exposed to asbestos while working at a hospital in Galway has received substantial damages in an out-of-court settlement with the board.
The man who brought the case against the health board worked in maintenance at Merlin Park Regional Hospital for several years from the mid-1970s, when asbestos was present in the building.
A biopsy is understood to have shown he was suffering from a cancer called mesothelioma, which is almost exclusively caused by asbestos exposure.
The case was due for hearing in the High Court in Dublin yesterday but will now be struck out.
The amount awarded to the man cannot be disclosed as it is governed by a confidentiality clause.
Dust released when asbestos is disturbed during demolition or maintenance work can enter the lungs and cause the disease.
Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer that occurs in the lining of the lungs and in the peritoneum, a structure that lines the abdominal cavity. There is no specific treatment. Symptoms can be vague, and the cancer is often not detected until it is well established. Unfortunately, most people with mesothelioma die within a year of diagnosis.
A spokeswoman for the Western Health Board said last night that asbestos was no longer present in the hospital building. But the board would not comment on the settlement reached in this case.