Nphet faces overhaul in new era of living with Covid

The Taoiseach said Tony Holohan, as CMO, will have a key role in the Department of Health and will continue to lead the public health campaign against Covid-19. Picture: Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin

Taoiseach Micheál Martin has hinted that the role of Nphet is to be re-examined as part of the next phase of the Living with Covid strategy.

Asked about reports that the National Public Health Emergency Team is to be scrapped, Mr Martin confirmed the Government plans to “decide next steps” on Monday.

Earlier this week, former minister and broadcaster Ivan Yates said he believed Nphet is past its sell-by date and has been treating the public like sheep.

Mr Yates said he believes the country has been unnecessarily subjected to the most extreme lockdown in Europe for the past 18 months.

Speaking at the 300th anniversary of the Royal Cork Yacht Club in Cork today, Mr Martin said: “What we're looking at is how we transition into normalcy, in terms of Government, in terms of how Government works, in terms of the institutions of workers, and agencies.” 

CMO 'to have key role'

He said Tony Holohan, as chief medical officer, will have a key role in the Department of Health and will continue to lead the public health campaign against Covid-19.

However, he added: “Precise formats, in terms of the task force, in terms of the senior officials group, all that will be looked at in terms of how do we transition now from what has been an emergency situation for a long period into creating a more normal environment across Government and dealing with the next phase.

“All of that still remains to be decided.” 

Nphet was set up in January 2020 and has come to play an important role in advising the Government.

There have been several high-profile disagreements between them, most notably around the imposition of a 'circuit-breaker' lockdown in early October which the Government refused to introduce.

Two weeks later, the Government did introduce the stricter lockdown.

A similar disagreement emerged in December and the resulting increase in cases saw the Government again criticised for not following Nphet advice.

Mr Martin said today: “We will decide on Monday and choose in terms of next steps, but the key decisions to be made will relate to how we reopen key parts of society.”

Nursing home deaths

Mr Martin said it’s very “sad” that so many people have died in Ireland during the pandemic.

Asked for his personal view of the deaths, including more than 2,000 in the country’s nursing homes, he said it was “one of profound sadness.”

Mr Martin spoke in detail about the fact that so many people had lost their livelihoods.

“It’s one of great sadness that so many people throughout the pandemic have lost their lives,” he said.

“This is a deadly virus.

“This virus kills.

The one silver lining has been the vaccines.

“Nobody would have anticipated that we would have vaccines so quickly, and they do protect us against loss of life, and protect people against severe illness.

“And so, it's one of profound sadness that we've lost so many people to this virus and to this global pandemic.” 

More than 2,000 people died in the country’s nursing homes.

Many of their families are still waiting, more than a year later, for basic information about why and how exactly they died.

A large number of people can’t even get their loved ones medical notes, and have just ended up being so frustrated by the way the government as a whole has handled issue of nursing homes deaths.

There have been repeated calls for not just a national inquiry into what happened but also basic investigations into even a handful of allegations that a number of those who died in nursing homes endured abuse and neglect and much of it behind closed doors as homes refused to let relatives in to speak to or see loved ones.

Majella Beattie, whose Care Champions advocacy group represents more than 500 families of nursing home residents, said: “Micheál Martin needs to say what he has to say directly to the families of those who died, or even their representatives.

“But to be honest, those families need much more than a few words at a press conference.

“They need action.

“It is not fair, or reasonable that people are having to wait so long for their loved ones’ medical records, or for - in the case of Ballynoe Nursing Home in Cork - a report on an inspection nearly seven months ago.” 

She added: “There is a lot of talk about people losing their livelihoods in this pandemic.

“We must never forget that not only have thousands lost their lives, but there are also thousands of people who are grieving and who need more than a few words from this Taoiseach.”