Five families seek inquests into nursing home deaths

Twenty-five residents of Ballynoe Nursing Home in Glanmire died during January and February during a Covid outbreak

Teresa Mulcahy, whose mother Margaret Kelleher died after testing positive for Covid, is one of the family members who wants an independent investigation into what happened. Picture: Jim Coughlan

At least five families of people who died in a Cork nursing home during a Covid19 outbreak are to seek a group inquest. 

Twenty-five residents of the nursing home died during January and February during a Covid outbreak, although not all of them had Covid 19.

Through their solicitor Conal McGarrity, of law firm PA Duffy, five of the families are pushing for inquests to be held into the deaths under sections 17 and 18 of the 1962 Coroners Act. Other families are also understood to be seeking legal advice. 

If successful, it could lead to what in effect would be a group inquest into the deaths of all those who died of Covid at Ballynoe Nursing Home, in Upper Glanmire.

The death toll is one of the highest in the country since the pandemic started last year.

Management at CareChoice, which runs the home, has apologised that its communication and interaction with relatives was "not of our usual standard".

Relatives who are seeking an investigation claim they found out “by accident” their loved ones had the deadly virus, which had infected a small number of staff and residents by January 13 but later spread throughout the 51-bed home.

Health watchdog Hiqa can’t investigate unless its board agrees to do so or  Health Minister Stephen Donnelly orders it to.

Mr Donnelly told the Irish Examiner Hiqa’s existing regulatory processes is “the appropriate regulatory response to follow”.

Solidarity-PBP TD for Cork North-Central Mick Barry, who backs calls for an investigation, is due to raise the matter in the Dáil later on Wednesday.

Teresa Mulcahy, whose mother Margaret Kelleher died after testing positive, is one of the family members who wants an independent investigation into what happened.

Sage Advocacy executive director Sarah Lennon said: “The only answer has been to lock up old people in nursing homes and to deprive them of visitors, and to deprive them of a life outside of the nursing home.

“And yet, even in that environment, this disease has run rampant.

“And somebody needs to tell us why.”