A round-up of today's Irish news in brief
Girl injured at birth awarded €500,000
The High Court has approved a settlement of €500,000 for a young girl who suffered shoulder injuries as a result of alleged negligence in the circumstances of her birth at the National Maternity Hospital in Dublin.
The settlement is without any admission of liability.
Emma Dempsey (11) had, through her mother Carol Dempsey, Ferncarrig Rise, Sandyford, Dublin, brought her action against the National Maternity Hospital, Holles Street, and against a consultant obstetrician, Dr Peter Lenehan, Blackrock Clinic, Dublin, arising out of the circumstances of her birth on October 16th, 1998.
The court was told, as a result of the shoulder injuries suffered, Emma will have limited function in her right arm and shoulder for the rest of her life.
The defendants denied the claims.
Van driver awarded €25,000 for stress
A security van driver who sued his former employers over post-traumatic stress disorder and depression suffered over the robbery of his van following a “Tiger” kidnapping of a colleague’s wife has been awarded €25,000 in damages.
The president of the High Court, Mr Justice Nicholas Kearns, yesterday ruled James Eakins was entitled to damages arising from an incident in 2007 where his crew were asked, while delivering to an ATM at a service station in Co Carlow, to hand over €1 million to a work colleague whose wife had been taken hostage.
Mr Eakins had sued Securicor Security Services Limited claiming he suffered psychiatric injuries following the robbery.
Woman to lose 40 houses over fraud
A woman who claimed income support while building up a property empire is to forfeit more than 40 houses as part of a settlement in the High Court in Belfast.
Frances McCluskey consented to the recovery order in the first case of its type in Northern Ireland to be brought by the Serious Organised Crime Agency.
The agency alleged that McCluskey, of Priory Park in the Finaghy area of Belfast, derived the majority of her assets through fraudulently claiming benefits over an 11-year period.
It was claimed that during this time she simultaneously traded in property.
The total value of the homes and cash to be handed over was not disclosed, but sources put the figure at between £2-3 million.The settlement followed three days of negotiations at the High Court.
107-year-old woman dies in Cork
A woman believed to be the oldest in Ireland has died just a few weeks short of her 108th birthday.
Bride O’Neill, from Kilbarry outside Fermoy in Co Cork, had trained as a nurse in England but returned during the second World War to work in Dublin.
Ms O’Neill, who never married, smoked or drank, remained active beyond 100 years and used to walk a mile and a half from Strawhall into Fermoy library every day.
A keen reader with an interest in current affairs and politics, she celebrated her 100th birthday at Strawhall Nursing Home in Fermoy.
Williams case to be heard tomorrow
A High Court hearing of the application by the Sunday Worldto restrain its crime editor Paul Williams leaving to join the News of the Worldwithout serving three months' notice will take place tomorrow.
A temporary injunction was granted against the journalist last Friday preventing his departure following the expiry of his contract on January 12th last.
The Sunday Worldclaims he is obliged to serve out three months' notice under the provisions of the National Union of Journalists' house agreement but Mr Williams disputes this.