The High Court will today consider whether it will allow a hospital to give an emergency blood transfusion to a baby born prematurely in the Coombe hospital, Dublin.
The child, weighing less than 1kg, was born a week ago to Jehovah’s Witness parents who have refused to agree to a blood transfusion should it become necessary.
Eileen Barrington, for the hospital’s chief executive, told Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy yesterday the child was not in imminent danger. The hospital was not seeking an interim injunction but wished the court to deal with the matter fully by the weekend.
Mr Justice McCarthy granted the hospital leave to serve short notice on the parents of its intention to seek a court order directing that a blood transfusion take place in the event of an emergency.