Hospitals paid out close to a billion euro in compensation in the past four years, following personal injury claims.
Figures released to Cork East TD Sean Sherlock under a parliamentary question show the seven hospital groups paid over 215 million euro each year since 2018.
The biggest awards were in the South-SouthWest Hospital Group, which paid out 287 million euro in damages in the four year period.
It was also found the Saolta Hospital Group, which manages hospitals in the North-West, paid out the most to patients exposed to “physical, biological and chemical hazards” as well as infections in hospital – a sum totalling 5.1 million euro.
The single biggest award nationally was 30 million euro to a child who has cerebral palsy as a result of injuries he suffered during birth at Portiuncula University Hospital in Galway.
