The father of a baby who died shortly after birth at the Coombe hospital has told an inquest that his son looked navy blue at birth.

Baby Darragh Byrne died from a lack of oxygen, or hypoxia at the Coombe in February 2013.

The maternity hospital has admitted that mistakes were made in the baby’s care, and has apologised to the Byrne family.

The consultant on duty at the time of Darragh’s death has told Dublin Coroner’s Court that there was evidence of an elevated heart-rate in the baby before an emergency section was carried out.

Update 5.50pm: Eoin Byrne told the Court he cried his heart out after seeing his newborn son Darragh who he described as navy blue when delivered by C section at the Coombe hospital three years ago.

The Court heard evidence that Oxytocin was administered to mother Maree Butler, who was 35 weeks pregnant, despite it being hospital policy that it not be administered before 37 weeks.

A midwife told the court that the dose of Oxytocin should not have been increased once the baby’s heart rate was elevated.

Several medics testified that the trace was hard to read, but no other tests were performed on the baby.

Counsel for the family said it was extraordinary that no review had been carried out by the hospital in the intervening years.

The inquest continues.