The now-elderly parents of a baby girl who died in hospital shortly after being taken there from Goldenbridge orphanage in Dublin more than 40 years ago are to be paid £20,000 by the Sisters of Mercy, the High Court was told yesterday.
The court was told that 11-month-old Marion Howe was admitted to Goldenbridge on May 17th, 1955. She was later moved to St Ultan's Hospital, where she died on May 21st, 1955. The child had a burn on her leg and the cause of death was certified as acute dysentery infection.
In a statement read to the court yesterday, the Sisters of Mercy said they were unable to say how the child sustained the burn and the order expressed its great sorrow at the death.
The £20,000 payment to Marion's parents, Mr Myles and Mrs Christina Howe, of Bride Street, off Kevin Street, Dublin, is being made as recompense for any distress they suffered but without any admission of liability, Mr Justice Kelly was told. The Howes will also be paid their costs.
The Howes initiated proceedings against the Sisters of Mercy after seeing the television programme, Dear Daughter, last year. The programme examined the experience of some of the inmates of Goldenbridge orphanage during the 1950s.
In a statement read in court yesterday by Mr Michael Collins SC, for the order, it was stated that Marion Howe was admitted to the orphanage on May 17th, 1955 for two weeks while her mother recovered from illness. Her father was in England.
Marion was visited by the orphanage doctor, Dr Dillon, who examined her and referred her to St Ultan's Hospital, the statement said. The child died on May 21st, 1955, and a post-mortem was held two days later.
The coroner for the city of Dublin certified that Marion had died of acute dysentery infection.
"We, the Sisters of Mercy, accept that Marion had a burn to her leg at the time of her death and died of acute dysentery infection," the statement said. "We have been unable to establish how this burn occurred.
"We, the Sisters of Mercy, wish to express our deep sorrow to Myles and Christina Howe for the anguish and distress they experienced on and since the death of their baby daughter, Marion, while in our care in May, 1955.
"We also wish to express our sorrow and regret if there was any lack of courtesy and compassion at that time."
Mr Justice Kelly said he was glad the parties had resolved their difficulties. He made an order striking out the action against the Sisters of Mercy and against the Minister for Education, Ireland and the Attorney General, who were also named as defendants.
A motion seeking to have the Howes' claim dismissed for want of prosecution or to have the proceedings struck out because of excessive delay was listed for hearing before the High Court yesterday.
When the case was called, Mr Collins said he was discussing a number of matters with lawyers for the Howes and asked for a brief adjournment.
In the afternoon the settlement was announced. Mr Adrian Hardiman SC, for the Howes, said the case had been settled. One of the terms was that Mr Collins, on behalf of the Sisters of Mercy, would read a short statement.