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Dáil
‹ Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation

Nursing home Covid inquiry

Summary

Deputy Ryan also sought a human rights-based inquiry into nursing home deaths and asked for a timeline. The Taoiseach said he hoped to have a broad public inquiry into Covid up and running that year, ideally by mid-year, and offered sympathy to bereaved families.

Guím beannachtaí na féile Bríde ar an Taoiseach. This is similar to the issue raised by the previous speaker. On Saturday, I attended the Care Champions event in DCU. It was clear from listening to the moving and, at times, harrowing testimonies from families, nursing home residents and staff that there is an overwhelming need for a human rights-based inquiry into what happened in nursing homes during the pandemic. Families, including those from Dealgan House, want the truth about how and why their loved ones died. When will the Government announce a timeline for such inquiries?

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Leo Varadkar The Taoiseach Fine Gael

I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. It is similar to the issue that Deputy O'Dowd raised earlier. I would hope to have a public inquiry into the response to Covid up and running this year, ideally by the middle of the year, but it needs to be scoped out. It will be extensive. It could go on for quite some time. We are keen to get it right. I extend my profound sympathy to the families of people who died in nursing homes. Covid was a difficult time for all of us, but particularly hard for those who could not mourn their loved ones properly or be by their side during their last days. We need to recognise that in the vast majority of cases, if not all cases, people working in and managing nursing homes did their best in what was an unprecedented scenario. There was no handbook as to how one manages a pandemic. I believe that in almost all cases, people did the best they could.

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