A High Court judge has said she is “incensed” at the Government’s “unconscionable” failure to enact laws to ensure catastrophically injured children will receive lifelong care when, at the same time, she sees posters declaring “every child has a value”.
Ms Justice Mary Irvine made the remarks to the father of a severely brain-damaged young woman after approving a €4 million lump sum settlement of her action. Jennifer Courtney (24) had sued over injuries suffered after being struck by a car while crossing a road in Coolock, Dublin in 2007.
The judge said she saw posters in Dublin city saying every child has a value. “That’s all very well but what is actually being done about that on the ground?” she asked.
The failure, in “a civilised society”, to ensure catastrophically injured children received adequate payments for their lifelong care was “unconscionable”.
In the absence of laws providing for phased payments, the judge said she would approve the €4 million lump sum payment for Ms Courtney.