The family of a Tipperary woman have been awarded compensation,
after the Ombudsman ruled that she was discriminated against.
Emily O'Reilly has made a finding of age discrimination against the HSE
for refusing public nursing home care to two women because
they were too young.
Both women were under 65 years of age – one woman from Limerick,
had suffered a stroke and the other, from Tipperary had a malignant brain tumour.
Mrs O'Reilly found that the HSE should have provided long-stay care for
the two women.
The HSE does not accept the findings of the report, but has agreed with
a recommendation to pay 130,000 euro in compensation to the woman
from Limerick and 38,000 euro to the family of the Tipperary woman
– who has since died.
Fintan Butler is a senior investigator with the Office of the Ombudsman:
