Covid inquiry date
Deputy Ryan seeks a firm commencement date for the State’s Covid-19 inquiry and says families deserve closure. The Tánaiste says the evaluation is nearing completion and that the three party leaders will bring it to a conclusion quickly.
I know the Taoiseach is only new to the job but I hope his predecessor might have given the Tánaiste and him a confirmed date for the commencement of the inquiry into the State's handling of the Covid-19 pandemic. I have asked for this and been promised a date multiple times, but there is still no date. Those who died and their families deserve justice and closure. Will the Tánaiste have a date before we are in government and get it ourselves? Will the Government give us a date? Let me be clear; I am not going to keep standing up here and asking the same question over and over again with no response. The Government's lack of ambition is deplorable for the people who died during Covid-19. I want an answer and a date, please.
Comment on this
There are international assessments of that. On the specific issue of an evaluation of how this country did during Covid-19, that is nearing completion. There has been a change, as the Deputy referenced, with Deputy Varadkar retiring as Taoiseach and Deputy Harris coming in as the new Taoiseach. The three party leaders will bring this to a conclusion very quickly.