Tánaiste Micheál Martin is “hopeful” the long awaited terms of reference for the Covid inquiry into the State’s handing of the pandemic, could be published before the general election is called.
He said the inquiry should done through a “constructive” methodology to ensure they learn from the mistakes and what was done well during the pandemic.
“Otherwise in the next crisis people will only be watching their backs instead of making decisions”.
The work of the inquiry, which is expected to take at least 18 months, will include looking at deaths in care settings, where the families of people who died in nursing homes have been campaigning for the inquiry, including a demonstration outside Leinster House on Thursday.
The inquiry had been expected to commence by April but a number of difficulties emerged including the over the choosing of chair, with fears that appointing a former judge, could result in witnesses “lawyering up”.
The composition of the investigating panel also proved problematic because the Government wanted to appoint independent members who did not have a role in either managing the pandemic and who did not disclose publicly their opinion of the handling of Covid-19.
In the Dáil, Mr Martin told Sinn Féin health spokesman David Cullinane he would meet representatives of the campaigners who were protesting against the delayed establishment of the investigation.
Mr Cullinane stressed the need to ensure that the inquiry put in place “suits their needs and objectives”.
Fine Gael TD Fergus O’Dowd said that 9,500 people died from Covid-19 in Ireland in the last four years, 89 per cent of whom were aged over 65.
“Countries like Italy France, Sweden and UK are working on their inquiries into Covid as to why it happened and how to prevent it happening again,” he said.
He called on Mr Martin to commit to publishing the terms of reference for the inquiry before the Government is dissolved. This would allow the people, “care champions”, protesting outside Leinster House and the thousands of grieving families “who remain concerned about the lack of truth and transparency” will find out what happened.
Agreeing to meet representatives of the families affected, Mr Martin said the Government “is close to finalising in terms of the Covid inquiry”.
He hoped they could be published “before any event may happen in the coming time ahead”, he said reference to the general election.
“There is a need for a comprehensive evaluation about how the country managed Covid-19″ and “to make sure that when the net pandemic comes or other type of emergency that we should be well prepared for it”.
They should learn from the mistakes and from what was done well through a constructive evaluation methodology. “Otherwise in the next crisis people will only be watching their backs instead of making decisions.”
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