Two brothers born a year apart with cerebral palsy have settled their High Court cases for alleged medical negligence for a total of €12.2 million.
The claims were settled without admission of liability.
The first child was born at 29 weeks' gestation in August 2012 and his younger brother was born at 31 weeks on August 2013.
Both were born in poor condition and later diagnosed with a form of cerebral palsy affecting the lower limbs.
The settlement, reached after mediation, involves a payment of €6.1m each for the boys.
Counsel for the family told Mr Justice Kevin Cross there was a strong dispute about liability and virtually every aspect of the claims in both cases were contested.
The parents supported the settlements and their separate actions had also been settled, he said.
Judge Kevin Cross approved the "very good" settlements and praised the parents for their efforts for the boys to date, including fundraising for specialised treatment in the US.
Both boys sued through their mother from Windy Arbour, Dublin 14. Their cases were against a consultant gynaecologist at Blackrock, Mona Joyce, with a registered place of business at the Blackrock Clinic, Dublin, and the Coombe Women & Infants University Hospital.
Counsel told the court Dr Joyce was not involved in any of the procedures undergone by the mother of the boys at the Coombe and there was a strong dispute about how germane the procedures were.
It was claimed the mother was not advised that a LLetz procedure carried out in 2007 and 2010 increased the risk of pre-term labour, pre-term rupture of membranes and pre-term delivery. She had the procedures carried out after smear test showed high grade abnormal cells on the surface of the cervix.
It was claimed the hospital failed to carry out any or any adequate assessment of her cervical length to identify cervical shortening and that she was not advised of the option of cervical cerclage, also known as cervical stitch, a treatment for cervical weakness when the cervix starts to shorten and open too early during a pregnancy.
It was claimed, as a consequence of alleged negligence and breach of duty, the woman's cervix was rendered incompetent by Dr Joyce and this was not adequately assessed or recognised by the hospital. It was claimed the mother consequently had pre-term rupture of membranes and a pre-term delivery of the first boy.
It was claimed, following his birth, the hospital failed to discuss with and advise the mother about the risks of a subsequent preterm delivery.
In her defence, Dr Joyce denied the claims against her. She pleaded the procedures undergone by the mother were necessary and appropriate to decrease the risk of cervical cancer.
She pleaded that the woman, irrespective of the risk of pre-term labour, would have, and did, elect to undergo them.
In its defence, the hospital also denied any negligence and pleaded there was adequate cervical assessment and monitoring. It also pleaded the mother's cervical length did not warrant a cerclage procedure and the management of mother and boys was consistent with a high standard of care.
Afterwards solicitor for the family Caoimhe Haughey read a statement on their behalf which said that "words cannot convey the emotional effort to get here today" and the past six years "have at sometimes been unbearable". They thanked their families and lawyers.
