The High Court has approved the second largest personal injuries settlement ever awarded.
The award of €4.65 million was made to seven-year-old Darragh Crowley from Millstreet in Co Cork.
Darragh sustained catastrophic personal injuries as a result of an operation carried out at Cork University Hospital in September 2000.
The operation was carried out to repair a problem with a shunt or drain that had been inserted into Darragh's brain.
Darragh had been born in 1998 with a brain malformation. However, this had been corrected by surgery four days after his birth, and he had subsequently developed as normal healthy infant.
But in September 2000 he became ill again, was admitted to Cork University Hospital, and underwent surgery to repair the shunt.
Immediately following the surgery, Darragh developed complications and it later became clear that he had suffered severe brain injuries.
Boy left catastrophically injured
The injuries have left the young boy totally blind, severely brain damaged, doubly incontinent and requiring 24-hour care.
The award is being made by the Southern Health Board which conceded liability in the case during a hearing last week.
Approving the settlement, Mr Justice Diarmuid O'Donovan paid tribute to Darragh's parents, Hannah and Brian, saying he was hugely impressed by what they had done for their child.
Justice O'Donovan said that while Darragh had been very unlucky with respect to what had happened to him, he was very lucky to have his parents.
Afterwards, Hannah Crowley said the family were glad the settlement had been reached, following the compromising of their son's health.
She said the money would help relieve the burden of care and ensure quality care for Darragh into the future. She thanked the family's legal team and said they looked forward with getting on with coping with what had happened.
