Louth TD calls for Government to focus on Covid 19 inquiry
At least 22 residents at Dealgan House nursing home died from Covid 19 infection over six week period
The government needs to "focus on the establishment of the State’s Covid 19 inquiry, regardless of changing leaders and political intrigue", Louth TD Ruairí Ó Murchú has said.
The Sinn Féin TD was speaking as the fourth anniversary of the deaths of at least 22 people in Dealgan House Nursing Home in Dundalk draws near.
Over a six week period from the end of March to the middle of May 2020, at least 22 residents at the nursing home died from Covid 19 infection. Dealgan House remains the only private nursing home that was taken over by a hospital group during the pandemic.
Since the deaths, families have been campaigning for the truth about what happened over those six weeks in 2020 to be made public. Deputy Ó Murchú has been asking the government to ensure that there is a specific module at the State’s Covid 19 inquiry about Dealgan House.
The "political dramatics of the last couple of weeks cannot mean that issues such as the establishment of a Covid 19 inquiry, along with myriad other important issues like housing and health, are forgotten about, whoever the next Taoiseach is", he said.
Deputy Ó Murchú continued: "This Easter weekend marks four years since the start of the terrible events in Dealgan House during which at least 22 people died. I have been working with some of the families of those who died since I was elected and I remain in awe of the incredible work they have done themselves in order to try to get to the truth.
"They have garnered a lot of information through FOI requests, many of which they had to battle hard to get released, and they have also met with Health Minister Stephen Donnelly, former HSE head Paul Reid and many other senior people who they thought could help give them answers to their questions.
"The Dealgan families still don’t have the answers they need as to how and why their loved ones died. They grieve the loss of their much-loved parents and relatives, but remain absolutely determined in their quest for the truth’.
Deputy Ó Murchú said that while the current government focus is "elsewhere" at the moment, it "must be ensured that the important issue of establishing the Covid 19 inquiry does not slip down the agenda".
He said: "The government has given multiple commitments to the Dealgan, and other, families that a mechanism will be found to ensure they can get to the truth of what happened to their loved ones. Four years on from the unspeakable tragedy at Dealgan, families have waited long enough to find out what happened."