A critically ill County Cork woman flew to London by private jet yesterday for a life-saving liver transplant.

Sylvia O'Leary, a 32-year-old mother of two, is suffering from hepatitis C, which she contracted through contaminated blood used in her first liver transplant in 1991. She has been on a life support machine since last Saturday.

In a day of high drama O'Leary, who is from Ballincollig, was driven to Cork airport with two gardai outriders as escort.

Roads to the airport were closed as the air ambulance awaited the arrival of O'Leary before its dash to Biggin Hill airstrip outside London.

She was transferred immediately to a waiting ambulance where medical staff were on hand to accompany her to King's College Hospital in central London.

O'Leary was not expected to be operated on last night - instead surgeons plan to carry out the transplant as soon as her condition is stabilised.

Earlier in the day family solicitor Melissa Gowan said O'Leary remained unconscious and on a life support machine.

Gowan said: 'A bed has become available in London and her husband Des will be travelling with her. Their two children will be staying in Cork.'

The solicitor said the Irish government will be footing the bill for the air ambulance and for O'Leary's treatment at King's College Hospital.

O'Leary's plight caused a political storm in the Republic this week after her family claimed the Irish government was delaying awarding any compensation because of the risk of her imminent death. However, a package believed to be worth €1 million (£650,600) was promised by the Department of Health on Christmas Eve.

Michael Martin, the Minister of Health, confirmed that a compensation package had been finalised with O'Leary's family.

Martin rejected claims by the woman's solicitor that the Department of Health was gambling with her life.