We need your help now
Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.
You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.
If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.
Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
By continuing, you are indicating that you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
DETAILS OF WHAT form the Government’s inquiry will take into the handling of the Covid-19 pandemic will be released in the coming weeks, the Taoiseach has confirmed.
Micheál Martin has said he does not envisage key players and decision-makers such as the Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan or HSE boss Paul Reid being grilled in a witness box in Dublin Castle, as has been the format for some past inquiries and tribunals.
“I don’t see it in that light, as I’ve said consistently, because when a crisis, a once in 100 year event happens, like a pandemic, mistakes will get made.
“The important thing is to learn from them and particularly in relation to public servants because they’re in the lions den from the beginning, they’re in the kitchen very much from the beginning. The heat is on, in terms of 24 hour reactions and so forth, and dealing with a crisis of this kind.
“So I don’t want people in the future looking over their shoulders, as we deal with another crisis, saying ‘there’s an inquiry behind my back and I’ve got to watch my Ps and Qs here’ or make decisions based on what people might ask me later. You have to make a right call at the time based on your judgment, and based on the advices that you receive,” said Martin.
The Taoiseach said his officials have been working on detailed proposals for the inquiry into the Government’s handling of the pandemic, and has been working in conjunction with the Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly.
He said a “comprehensive evaluation of how we dealt with Covid-19 in all aspects” is needed, and that it should cover government administration, public health and other areas.
More details would be revealed in the “coming weeks”, he added.
“It is important and we are determined to do it. Because we need to learn any lessons that have to be learned and also with a view to ensuring that into the future, if a future pandemic was to arise or another crisis, that we will learn those lessons and respond more effectively,” said the Taoiseach.
Citing a recent study in The Lancet, the Taoiseach said that overall Ireland did well in respect of the level of excess deaths relative to other countries.
“But of course, it still took a terrible toll on our people, and we do need to have that evaluation of how we did,” he added.
While he would not give a timeline for when such an inquiry would be concluded, he said people would want it completed within a “reasonable timeframe”.
The Taoiseach told The Journal last September that he would like to see the inquiry up and running in the “earlier part” of 2022.
The Covid National Day of Remembrance and Reflection Ceremony will take place in the Garden of Remembrance in Dublin today.
The ceremony will remember all those who died during the pandemic and pay tribute to everyone who has contributed to how we have faced and are facing the challenges.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Still waiting for those responsible for the cervical cancer cover up to be held accountable
No matter what form it takes it ‘won’t go far enough’ for some people. Mostly the same people that rejoiced this week when mm caught covid and revelled in the fact he didn’t get the face to face with Biden. For the record I’ve never voted ff, fg or the greens.
@TomTraubert: An honest and transparent evaluation of how the pandemic was handled should involve all key decision makers. Accountability requires all decisions made to be analyzed. It’s not about trying to make individuals look bad. It’s about understanding if mistakes were made and putting a process in place so they are not made again. It should also highlight and praise the decisions they got right.
@TomTraubert: Every single person that questioned anything during the pandemic to date, was demonised and ridiculed as a conspiracy theorist and antivaxxer in a purposely reductive campaign, this was while they were raising issues and concerns about the measures, restrictions and government policy in realtime as it happened, but after a few weeks they were then accused of only seeing the issues due to hindsight.
Many decisions that were made around covid19 were politically motivated, yet following the science was the rallying cry of the preferred narrative, yet it continued to reject all contradictory scientific opinions and legitimate questions around the covid vaccine drug trials and mass vaccinations and the motivation of profit rather than following the science in lobbying for them.
The government coalition partners took decisions throughout, based on politically defending their actions after the fact, being seen to act and doing something, such as buying ventilators and PPE.
Also questions need to be asked and answered by the very people mentioned in this article, about the failure to depoly HSE personnel at the very start into residential care facilities, to introduce control measures to prevent infection, transmission and cross contamination into other facilities, based on existing knowledge around viral and bacterial infections that previously took place in those very same settings.
@David Van-Standen: are you claiming there wasn’t a requirement to purchase large quantities of PPE and that it was only done for political expediency?
@TomTraubert: all things considered we handled the covid crisis well. It was a horrific time for every group of our society. Easy to look back and criticise after the fact. What we should do is focus on how amazing our frontline staff kept us safe.
@D. Memery: I am stating the verifiable fact, that a large amount of inappropriate not fit for purpose PPE was purchased, in a we better be seen to do something political kneejerk reaction, without any actual engagement with the people that would be using the PPE.
@Darren Mc Mahon: The vast majority of people have nothing but praise and appreciation for the front line staff in the HSE, especially those that have received care at any time, including during the pandemic.
However those same frontline staff should not be used as a shield of convenience for the administrative and management section of the HSE, because they are not frontline staff doing the best they can in adverse conditions, to deliver patient care in realtime, their entire role is by definition planning, administration and management, so they are also accountable for bad planning, administration and management.
@David Van-Standen: I know plenty of HSE administrators who worked flat out 7 days a week at the start of the pandemic to get systems up and running
@David Corrigan: Totally agree, it shouldn’t be a witch-hunt but a fact finding mission to ensure that the mistakes that were made are never repeated and the good decisions that were made should be commended. Both good and bad decisions happened and we need to learn from those and find out what motivated the bad decisions especially.
@D. Memery: They were warned by several countries about sub standard p.p.e coming out of China. But still, went ahead and spent billions on it. Money that they are still trying to recoup. There are box loads of useless, unused p.p.e lying in hospitals all around this country. They should have heede the advice they were given and sourced it elsewhere.
Lives were on the line from jan 2020. We deserve to know how many were saved but also how many were lost due to mistakes not by NPHET, which just gave advice, but by HSE and others who delivered on, or ignored, their advice. Many would like to have the info, on which the advice was given, especially the models, examined for accuracy. This investigation, if done properly, could dramatically transform Irish healthcare. If not, it will just be another wasteful white wash.
Then, what is the point of an inquiry?
Micheál Martin was a witness himself last summer in the NAMA Commission of Investigation first syllabus of 28. We now have to wait until June 30th for the final report and many years for full accountability. Another extension given by Micheál Martin. Even Bertie has still no finding make against him by the Mahon Tribunal running since 1997.
If anyone has questions to answer about corvid-19 it’s Simon harass. Nursing homes where sacrificed. Yet all Simon will do is apologise at any enquiry. Just like the bankers and politicians did at the 2011 commission of Investigation into the Banking Sector.
have your say