Family reaches settlement with HSE over 2017 death of student Maxine Maguire, with HSE issuing apology for care deficits
The family of Maxine Maguire, a 25-year-old student from Newbridge, Co Kildare, has settled a High Court case against the HSE and St Vincent’s University Hospital and Naas General Hospital over her death by suicide on February 7, 2017. Maxine, who had a history of mental health challenges, had been treated at multiple hospitals following a suspected overdose in December 2016, including receiving a liver transplant at St Vincent’s. She was discharged over Christmas but readmitted after a suicide attempt on December 31, 2016, and later died in the burns unit at St James’s Hospital. The HSE formally apologized for 'deficits in care' that contributed to her death. An inquest in 2019 made several recommendations for improving mental health care, including mandatory face-to-face psychiatric reviews before discharge. Maxine’s mother, Kathleen Maguire, urged the government to implement these changes, stating they could save lives. Both sources highlight her aspirations to become a social worker and the profound impact of her loss on her family.
TheJournal.ie provides slightly more complete and contextually rich coverage, including direct quotes from post-settlement interviews, explicit mention of the family’s motivation for legal action, and a stronger emphasis on systemic mental health issues. Irish Times offers a clear procedural account of the court settlement and includes specific institutional names, but ends with an unrelated news item, which may distract from the story’s gravity.
- ✓ Maxine Maguire, a 25-year-old student from Newbridge, died by suicide on February 7, 2017.
- ✓ She had mental health issues and had presented to Naas General Hospital in December 2016 following a suspected overdose.
- ✓ She was later transferred to St Vincent’s University Hospital, where she received a liver transplant.
- ✓ She was discharged over the Christmas period but was readmitted after a suicide attempt on December 31, 2016.
- ✓ She died in the burns unit at a Dublin hospital (identified in TheJournal.ie as St James’s Hospital).
- ✓ Her family brought a High Court action against the HSE, Naas General Hospital, and St Vincent’s University Hospital.
- ✓ The case was settled, and the HSE issued a formal apology for 'deficits in care' provided to Maxine.
- ✓ The HSE apology included the phrase: 'We apologise unreservedly and sincerely for the deficits in the care provided to Maxine which culminated in her subsequent untimely and tragic death.'
- ✓ An inquest into her death occurred and made recommendations to improve mental health care, including face-to-face psychiatric review before discharge.
- ✓ Maxine’s mother, Kathleen Maguire, spoke publicly after the settlement, calling for the implementation of inquest recommendations.
- ✓ Maxine was pursuing a Master’s in Child, Youth and Family Studies and intended to become a social worker.
- ✓ Kathleen Maguire expressed personal grief, stating: 'A piece of me died with Maxine and we must somehow now try to piece our lives back together.'
Specific hospitals named
Mentions Naas General Hospital and St Vincent’s University Hospital as defendants.
Does not name the hospitals involved in the lawsuit; only mentions St James’s Hospital as the place of death.
Timing and context of HSE apology
States the apology was read in court during the settlement hearing.
Describes the apology as having been delivered to the High Court but does not specify it was read aloud during the hearing.
Family’s motivation for legal action
Focuses on the call for implementation of recommendations but does not explicitly state the purpose of the lawsuit.
Quotes Kathleen Maguire saying the family pursued the case 'to hold them accountable and to seek justice for our beautiful daughter Maxine.'
Additional commentary and framing
Includes a reference to an unrelated news item ('Wife of jailed Ballyseedy Garden Centre owner summonsed over drug-driving') at the end, possibly as a sidebar or related link.
Includes direct quotes from Kathleen Maguire speaking to 'The Journal' after the apology, adding a sense of immediacy and journalistic access.
Mention of mental health systemic critique
Kathleen calls for mental health to be made a priority but does not use metaphorical language.
Includes the metaphor 'mental health has been the Cinderella of the health system for far too long,' adding a rhetorical critique of systemic neglect.
Narrative closure
Ends with biographical tribute and emotional impact on family.
Ends with Kathleen’s reflection that 'today is like the end of the road,' providing a sense of narrative closure and symbolic completion.
Irish Times
Framing: Irish Times frames the event primarily as a legal resolution with procedural significance, focusing on the settlement and court proceedings.
Tone: Formal and procedural, with moments of emotional tribute
Framing by Emphasis: The headline uses the legal term 'action' and focuses on the settlement outcome, framing the event as a legal resolution.
"Family settles action against HSE over daughter’s death by suicide"
Framing by Emphasis: The article opens with the legal resolution rather than the apology, emphasizing the procedural aspect of the case.
"The family of a 25-year-old student who died by suicide has settled a High Court action brought against the HSE over her death."
Narrative Framing: Repetition of Kathleen Maguire’s statement outside court suggests emphasis on advocacy, but without elaboration on intent.
"Outside court, Kathleen Maguire called on the Government to implement key recommendations..."
Cherry-Picking: Includes a reference to an unrelated news item at the end, potentially diluting focus.
"[ Wife of jailed Ballyseedy Garden Centre owner summonsed over drug-drivingOpens in new window ]"
Appeal to Emotion: Describes Maxine’s background and aspirations in a respectful, biographical tone.
"Her goal in life was to help people. She was studying for her master’s degree in child, youth and family studies and hoped to become a social worker."
TheJournal.ie
Framing: TheJournal.ie frames the event as a moment of institutional accountability and systemic critique, emphasizing the HSE's apology and the need for policy change.
Tone: Emotionally resonant and advocacy-oriented, with a focus on systemic reform
Framing by Emphasis: Headline centers on the HSE apology rather than the legal settlement, shifting focus to institutional accountability.
"HSE apologises for 'deficits in care' provided to woman who died by suicide in 2017"
Proper Attribution: Includes direct quote from Kathleen Maguire about seeking justice, clarifying the family’s intent.
"to hold them accountable and to seek justice for our beautiful daughter Maxine"
Appeal to Emotion: Uses metaphor ('Cinderella of the health system') to critique systemic neglect of mental health.
"mental health has been the Cinderella of the health system for far too long"
Narrative Framing: Quotes Kathleen describing the day as 'the end of the road,' providing narrative closure.
"today is like 'the end of the road'"
Comprehensive Sourcing: Mentions the family’s appeal to Minister Mary Butler by name, adding political specificity.
"calling on the minister for mental health Mary Butler to implement all the recommendations"
No related content
HSE apologises for 'deficits in care' provided to woman who died by suicide in 2017
Family settles action against HSE over daughter’s death by suicide