The Government is planning a national day of commemoration to remember the 9,000 people who died from Covid. Dealgan House is the only nursing home in the country that was taken over by the HSE. The families of the residents there, or a representative of them, would like to be invited to any such event. On 25 January, I called in the Dáil for a commission of inquiry into the 23 deaths that occurred there. The Taoiseach acknowledged that this is a genuine issue and said the Department of Health is finding a way in which it can best respect and meet the needs and concerns of the families. Will he give an update on that, given there has since been no communication with the families?

First, in terms of the planning for the ceremony, the families of the bereaved, regardless of setting and whether from Covid-19 or not, will be represented at the ceremony, along with front-line workers from all sectors. It is difficult to specify a particular sector but all those who were bereaved will be represented in a proportional way at the ceremony. In terms of the wider issue, a comprehensive evaluation process will be put in place in respect of Covid overall.