Courts / Limerick / Report

Dad-of-two who survived fatal Thomond Bridge crane incident reaches settlement

Summary

Paul Murphy, a father-of-two who survived a fatal crane incident at Thomond Bridge in Limerick in 2015, reached an undisclosed settlement with multiple parties, including Palfinger Ireland Ltd and Limerick City and County Council, the High Court heard. Counsel for Murphy stated that liability was conceded by the named defendants, allowing the case to proceed solely for the assessment of damages before the settlement was finalized. The incident claimed the lives of Murphy's co-workers, Bryan Whelan and TJ O'Herlihy, who drowned after the crane fell into the River Shannon. Murphy, who suffered PTSD and physical injuries, was rescued by lifeboat. In related proceedings, Palfinger Ireland Ltd was fined €25,000 at Limerick Circuit Court on October 7, 2022, after pleading guilty to breaches of the Health and Safety at Work Act. Additionally, Nationwide Crane Hire Ltd pleaded guilty to similar breaches and was fined €200,000. The prosecutions, brought by the Health and Safety Authority, cited a failed safety mechanism and a missing chapter in the crane manual supplied by Palfinger. The High Court judge acknowledged the trauma Murphy endured, noting he had to relive parts of the tragedy during the proceedings.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Dad-of-two who survived fatal Thomond Bridge crane incident reaches settlement. Charges or matters: breaches of the Health and Safety at Work Act and the company was fined €200,000. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

• August 29, 2015 Incident
• October 7, 2022 Incident
• 2024-10-17 Publication

Why: Mr Murphy only returned to work because he felt it was the best thing to do to get back into a routine but was still haunted by the experience. CNI source report

Case subjects

Places mentioned

Topics

Stage Sentence

Related court reports

• Manager at global IT firm denies company 'lied' about position of former Irish employee
• High Court refuses to surrender Limerick man wanted for alleged human trafficking in Greece
• Tipperary man admits attempted murder
• Volunteer who said he was sacked for warning Church officials of 'rogue' relic traders can't pursue case, WRC rules
• Appearance of tips machine in cafe that pulled in €5k unexplained, tribunal notes
• 'You've to get the morning after pill': man who was 18 when he raped girl (15) gets seven years

Read the original CNI report