Commission of inquiry 'may not be best way' to probe 23 Covid nursing home deaths

The managing director of Dealgan House Nursing Home in Dundalk, Co Louth has confirmed the deaths of 23 residents at the home since 1 April, many of which he says were Covid-19 related.

The Taoiseach has said a commission of inquiry into more than 20 Covid-related deaths at Dealgan House nursing home during the first year of the pandemic may not be the 'optimal way' to investigate the issue.

Micheál Martin was responding to a call from Fine Gael TD Fergus O'Dowd for an inquiry into the deaths of 23 residents in the Dundalk nursing home in April 2020. The HSE subsequently took over the operational management of the home after concerns were raised.

Mr O'Dowd raised the issue with the Taoiseach in the Dáil yesterday, saying: "It is the appropriate time to establish a government commission of inquiry into all the circumstances around the deaths of 23 residents from Covid-19 in Dealgan House Nursing Home in April 2020.

"This is the only nursing home in the country, of 460 homes, which the HSE took over operational management, in order to ensure appropriate medical and nursing staff looked after residents after huge concerns over the way the home was run, about the absence of appropriate management."

Mr O'Dowd asked the Taoiseach: "Would you please appoint a commission of inquiry like we did in Leas Cross into the exceptional circumstances surrounding these deaths?"

The Taoiseach, however, said a commission of inquiry may not be the best way forward.

"I am not convinced about commissions of inquiry being the optimal way to investigate these issues," Mr Martin said.

"They go on much longer than people would have anticipated or expected.

"There's a genuine issue there, don't get me wrong and I think the Department (of Health) is examining a variety of options as to how best to respect and meet the needs and concerns of families."

Last July, the Fine Gael TD brought a proposal to establish a commission of inquiry to a parliamentary party meeting where he said it received “broad” support.

His proposal came just days after Sinn Féin TD and Health Spokesperson David Cullinane’s private member's motion, which was carried in the Dáil, for a public inquiry into nursing home deaths.

A commission of investigation was carried out to investigate the management, operation and supervision of the Leas Cross private nursing home in Swords, Co. Dublin.

It was the subject of an RTÉ Prime Time investigation which, in July 2005, exposed substandard living conditions at the home and, as a result, it was forced to close. A year after revelations, then health minister Mary Harney promised legislation that led to the formation of the health watchdog, Hiqa.

The commission of investigation report, which was published in 2009, found care standards at Leas Cross fell below acceptable levels from September 2003 to August 2005, when it closed.