Health workers deserve the nation’s ‘deep gratitude and respect’ — Taoiseach

Micheál Martin tested positive for Covid-19 while in Washington DC on Wednesday. Picture: James Manning/PA

The Taoiseach said that healthcare workers deserve the nation’s “deep gratitude and respect” as the country commemorates those who lost their lives to Covid.

The event, entitled the National Day of Remembrance and Reflection Ceremony, will take place in the Garden of Remembrance in north Dublin today.

The ceremony will remember all those who died during the pandemic and pay tribute to everyone who has contributed to how the country has faced and continues to face challenges.

More than 6,600 people have died from Covid in Ireland since March 2020.

Taoiseach Micheal Martin is currently isolating in Washington DC and will miss Sunday’s commemoration (The White House/PA)

Micheál Martin also said he is “deeply disappointed” he will not be able to attend the event after he tested positive for Covid-19 while in Washington DC on Wednesday.

The Fianna Fáil leader may have to stay in the US until March 26.

Mr Martin said the event is an “important moment” in the country’s effort to reflect on and come to terms with the trauma of the Covid-19 pandemic.

“It will be a poignant day for many, as we remember loved ones lost to the disease and as we remember all those others who passed away but couldn’t be grieved in the way we would have liked, or as they deserved,” Mr Martin added.

The loss is enormous and it is profound, but we will come to terms with it in the same way that we have come through every other stage of the pandemic — as a community, united and there for each other.

“Recognising Ireland’s extraordinary spirit of solidarity during the pandemic is another key aspect of what today is about.

“In every section of our society, people dug more deeply and showed more resilience than they knew was possible.

“Countless acts of personal courage and quiet sacrifice saw our country through an unprecedented crisis and helped save many thousands of vulnerable lives.”

Mr Martin said that while everyone across the nation played their part, healthcare workers, in particular, deserve special thanks.

“Without hesitation and before we even understood the true nature or scale of the threat, they put themselves in harm’s way to protect the rest of us,” he added.

“Without complaint, they cared for our sickest and brought dignity and compassion to the most fraught and difficult situations.

“When science delivered a vaccine, they were on the frontline and helped deliver one of the most effective national vaccination programmes in the world.

“They deserve and enjoy the entire nation’s deep gratitude and respect.

“The truth is that we do not yet know the full extent of the damage caused by Covid."

People queue in the rain outside the Citywest Covid-19 vaccination centre in Dublin last summer (Damien Storan/PA)

“Many among us are still struggling with the physical effects of the disease while the wider social and psychological impact of what we have been through will take years to properly understand.

“But on this, our National Day of Remembrance and Recognition, we can and should take comfort and reassurance from the fact that no matter how bad it ever became, our national spirit held firm.

“Our communities remained united. We looked out for each other.”

The ceremony will start at 2.30pm and will be televised live on RTÉ One.

The Lord Mayor of Dublin Alison Gilliland, Tánaiste Leo Varadkar, and members of the government will attend.