The Coombe Hospital Dublin has apologised to a teenage boy and his family for failings in care after his birth.
The apology was read out in the High Court on Tuesday as the young man, who cannot be named, settled his legal action for €15 million.
His counsel, Dr John O’Mahony SC with Cian O’Mahony BL, told the court it was the biggest settlement among the small number of cases that have sought to establish an alleged link between autism and brain injury.
Liability was conceded in part of the case but claims in relation to an alleged link to autism were denied.
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In a letter to the family, read to the court, the master of the Coombe Hospital, Professor Michael O’Connell, offered sincere apologies “for the failings in care that caused injury”.
“We in the hospital understand and sincerely regret that our failings in care have led to lifelong consequences, not only for the boy, but also for his parents and family,” Prof O’Connell wrote.
It was claimed the boy had an infection and developed meningitis. In the months after his birth he was noted as having developmental delay and hearing loss.
He was later diagnosed with autism.
Through his mother he sued The Coombe Women’s Hospital, Cork Street, Dublin, over his care after his birth.
The case centred on an alleged delay in recognising and responding to signs of infection the baby began to show after his delivery.
It was claimed there was a failure to respond to maternal evidence of infection as a factor in treating the baby with antibiotics.
There was also an alleged failure to seek urgent paediatric opinion when it ought to have been known it was urgently required.
The boy later showed developmental delay and had difficulty with his hearing and language, as well as co-ordination difficulties.
Mr Justice Paul Coffey approved the settlement.
