They did it after the baby was born? That wasn’t a procedure that was toture and experimentation, not only should these women be compensated, they should get a full apology and those responsible be prosecuted. It won’t happen in Ireland though will it?

Even reading about the procedure leaves me wondering why a doctor would undertake such a tortuous way of delivering a baby and then treat the patient like an imbecile and not inform her fully of why she would suffer/ was suffering all those years . This lady is a heroine , she raised a family and worked to support and offer a good life style while suffering the awful side effects of such unnecessary surgery… The doctor surely had a mother , grandmothers, maybe sisters , aunts, a wife , children of his own and female colleagues ie nurses doctors etc , So why in the name of empathy / sympathy would he do this to her? Especially as it had been banned else where in the world . At least the case was proven and the lady can continue with her life in some ease.Although I really wonder why the compensation was reduced ? I wish her luck and congratulate her on her bravery.

This Supreme Court victory sends out the strongest possible signal: symphysiotomy is a mutilating operation that should never have been performed in Ireland as a procedure of choice in the mid to late 20th century.

This case sets a benchmark for future cases. SoS has been battling for truth and justice for a decade, but successive governments have kicked to touch. Hundreds of survivors have gone to their graves without ever seeing justice.

The Government should now lift the Statute of Limitations to allow all survivors of symphysiotomy and pubiotomy to access the courts without further delay. All survivors are vulnerable to arguments around delay: as well as being unlawful, these were covert operations that bordered on clandestine. Women did not discover their pelvises had been broken for 30, 40 or 50 years.

‘The courts represent the only forum for truth and justice that is not under the control of influence of the Department of Health, which has stood by the Institute of Obstetricians on this issue for 10 years.’

I suffered a “spontaneous symphisiotomy” in St. Luke’s Hospital, Kilkenny, in 1999, having been unnecessarily induced, 10 days before my due date, by a consultant obstetrician. I understand that a number of other women, including a nurse, have suffered the same injury, at the hands of the same consultant. This leads me to believe, as others do, that what happened was not mere misfortune, or coincidence, but somebody “playing God”. I would be interested in hearing from others who had the same experience. Local GPs have since stopped referring women to this man. I am still occasionally affected by the injury; I was offered no physiotherapy or other follow-up, despite the obvious seriousness of the injury, which also supports my contention that the outcome was intentional.

That sum would be a paltry amount in the US, where judgements can often run into the millions.

Only a man , who have never suffered the agonies , of childbirth could makje such an appaliing decision

My poor mum went thru it having me !!! She is still complaint to this day !!! I was born 1966

Well she’s not a politician , family or friend of or working for a politician, I’m amazed she wasn’t left with less. If she was a banker even the government couldn’t touch it.

“Justice John MacMenamin upheld the High Court’s decision on liability but changed the amount awarded to a total of €350,000 for both past and future general damages”.

So I would assume his reasoning for reducing the amount is that ‘she’s 60 now, hasn’t got many years left in front of her to live and be in continuing pain, so the EUR350,000 should do her for expenses, medical, pain killers, caring etc. until she dies’.! Good one Judge. Only a man could come to that conclusion. God help her, her family, that have watched her all these years, suffering from pain, depression, disability and the huge loss that her children have had not having her to every day things with them when they were younger.