A woman agrees to eat amid High Court capacity case

This report is a localnews.ie summary based on public court reporting and records; sources are listed below.

A woman agreed to take food and fluids for two weeks in a High Court case on 14 October 2014 concerning her capacity to refuse nourishment.

The Health Service Executive had sought permission to feed her and provide liquids after doctors feared she was at risk of imminent death. Mr Justice Nicholas Kearns had granted a temporary order allowing fluids only.

The judge adjourned the case for two weeks, while an independent psychiatrist’s report was to be compiled. The remaining issue, if the case returned, was whether the woman had capacity to refuse food and fluids.