Families who have lost loved ones in care homes during the Covid-19 pandemic will take to the Dáil next week to demand a public inquiry, reports The Mirror.
Advocacy group Care Champions will lead the protest on October 24 and says many families have taken legal action in an attempt to find answers.
Majella Beattie, founder of Care Champions, said people were denied the chance to spend their last hours with their loved ones and many died alone.
She added: “We need a public inquiry into what happened. We have been calling for this for some time. Families cannot move on until there are answers – not just about the number of deaths but an inquiry into the standards of care in nursing homes during the Covid-19 pandemic,” reports The Mirror.
Pat Coyle’s wife Veronica died at CareChoice care home in Ballynoye, Cork, where 24 residents died after contracting Covid in a third wave.
Pat told the Irish Sunday Mirror: “Veronica got tested on Saturday January 30, her results came back positive on Sunday January 31. Veronica had dementia, she had no mobility at all, she couldn’t speak, she was totally dependant on 24/7 care,” reports The Mirror.
Pat wrote to CareChoice’s CEO, who denied any breach of standards of care, although it did admit that two residents were brought to the community centre and tested for Covid.
A member of the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) has expressed his belief that, despite the high death toll, Ireland has responded well to the pandemic, reports The Mirror.
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