Advocates worried about covid inquiry's inability to force decision-makers to testify

Majella Beattie, who founded advocacy group Care Champions, said: “Many of us intend to give our evidence in public and we demand the unfettered right to do so.” Photo: Bob Morrison

Bereaved families during the pandemic have hit out at how an inquiry into the covid-19 pandemic in Ireland is being framed, advocacy group Care Champions have said.

The group was set up in 2020 mainly comprising of families with relatives in nursing homes under lockdown who came together to advocate for stronger protections and supports. Founded by Majella Beattie, they also highlighted serious concerns around patients in hospitals left without visitors for months.

They said they were “deeply disappointed” that information on how the review into the pandemic might look emerged in the media without a formal announcement. 

“We do not believe that the Government appreciates the seriousness of our complaints, regarding the deaths, degrading treatment and arbitrary detention of our relatives and the ongoing obstruction of our access to basic information,” Care Champions said.

Details emerged following a briefing for opposition politicians on draft plans for what will be called an Independent Pandemic Evaluation Panel.

However, the families are concerned about the implications after hearing that people involved in decision-making will not be compelled to appear. 

“We call on the Government to provide the panel with full powers to compel the production of all necessary evidence,” they said. 

“We do not have confidence that facts will be comprehensively established in the absence of such powers, and such powers are a basic requirement of a human rights-compliant investigation.” 

Families represented by Care Champions hope to give evidence to the hearings. “Many of us intend to give our evidence in public and we demand the unfettered right to do so,” they said.

“We also insist that, in order to give our full evidence, we will have access to all documentation relating to our deceased relative's and our experiences, including all the surrounding circumstances.” 

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Among families who have already shared distressing pandemic experiences is Susan Cummins from Grenagh in Cork. 

She told the Irish Examiner last year residents “were left to die” at the CareChoice nursing home in Ballynoe.

Staff member, Sadie Allen, recalled entering a ward where one resident told her she was “so afraid” because she had been “calling for hours”.

The nursing home said they were “fully staffed” and said: “We acknowledge the deep loss of those who lost relatives in the outbreak in Ballynoe. We do not comment on any individual resident or their families.” 

The inquiry will not seek to place blame and will include the Government’s handling of the pandemic as well as the economic impacts. 

It is expected to last between 12 and 18 months and will likely not be a statutory inquiry. A draft template for the terms of reference states there should be a particular focus on nursing homes.