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TÁNAISTE MICHEÁL MARTIN has said he is in “no doubt” the former chief medical officers and members of the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) will appear before the long-awaited Covid-19 inquiry.
The evaluation is expected to be up and running “in a matter of weeks” and will be chaired by retired University of Galway professor Anne Scott.
Those in government, including Martin, have insisted it is to be an “evaluation”, rather than an “inquiry”.
“They will come forward, I have no doubt about that,” Martin said today when asked about concerns raised over the lack of power to compel witnesses, such as former chief medical officers and members of NPHET.
Speaking to reporters in Athlone, Martin said “it’s in the public interest” for former NPHET members to take part.
He added that the chief medical officers “are very enthusiastic about public health”.
“So I’ve no doubt that the people in the public interest field will come forward. I wouldn’t have any doubts about that, but again, I think it’s the spirit in which we enter into this is important, because we do need to make sure that in the future we can do things even better and understand, measure our performance against the objectives of what we were trying to do,” he said.
In his view, if any issues or “difficulties” arise during the course of the inquiry, “then it falls to a new government to review that”, he said.
Labour leader Ivana Bacik said announcing the “bare bones” of an inquiry the week before the Dáil is likely to be dissolved “looks rather tokenistic”.
She said the announcement yesterday of the terms of reference was “rather late in the day”, but said her party did welcome the progress as Labour has been pushing for a firm commitment of an inquiry for a number of years.
Bacik said she wants to see more details of the inquiry, highlighting concerns about whether all hearings would be held in public.
Sinn Féin Leader Mary Lou McDonald has also weighed in by strongly criticising the government’s “late-in-the-day and weak” Covid review.
She criticised the lack of powers to compel witnesses and documents where someone fails to cooperate.
In a statement, McDonald said that powers of compellability may be needed to get closure and transparency for the many bereaved families, highlighting that many feel stonewalled by a select number of nursing homes where there were extreme problems during the pandemic.
“What the government is proposing does not have the confidence of many bereaved families. They need to know that this will not be a whitewash,” said the Sinn Féin leader.
Taoiseach Simon Harris today defended the government’s “evaluation” approach.
“Ireland got lots of things right during that period of time, but also there was a lot of pain, a lot of hurt, and indeed a lot of loss, including loss of lives during the Covid pandemic,” he added.
“It’s really important that we look back at what went well and we look at what didn’t.
“It’s also important that we look forward in terms of the learnings of that and how that can be applied to future pandemic preparedness. I really want to thank Professor Ann Scott for agreeing to chair the panel,” he said.
Structures that have been used in the past that have not been statutory have yielded really good progress, he added, citing the (Gabriel) Scally report which dealt with CervicalCheck scandal.
“We’ve now appointed an independent chair. It is for that independent chair to decide how best she and her panel wish to conduct that and, of course, any extra assistance or advice or powers that she believes she needs, of course, Government will absolutely keep an open mind of that,” he added.
Harris went on to say that Prof Scott will be independent in her work, and that the panel will hear from people who wish to be heard.
“I think it’s also really important that the voices and experiences of people impacted by Covid, and some awfully impacted by Covid, are recorded, are heard. I really look forward to a process being put in place to make that happen,” he added.
“We wanted to make sure we made progress in terms of moving this forward ahead of a general election, that was something I felt very strongly about,” said the Taoiseach.
The Tánaiste also defended the approach, stating that he has always been consistent in not wanting to go down the “adversarial legal” approach.
“I’ve always been of that view. What we need to do is really assess how we responded across all the various areas, health, in particular, preservation of life, education, childcare, economy, all aspects of our society. How did we respond? What lessons did we learn from that? Could we do better the next time in the event of another emergency, be it a pandemic or another type of emergency. We should evaluate the structures that emerged, and that would be a map for the chairperson,” he said this morning.
The approach announced by the government yesterday will expedite the findings, said the Tánaiste.
“I was the Taoiseach during Covid. I have no issue in terms of, I’ve reflected on all of my experiences as Taoiseach during Covid, and I’m looking forward to giving those in an objective and impartial way for the benefit of future teaching and future governments,” he added.
INMO General Secretary Phil Ní Sheaghdha said she welcomed the appointment of Professor Anne Scott to carry out an evaluation into the country’s response to Covid-19.
“During the pandemic, nurses and midwives reorganised services, set up new services and went to work in very hazardous circumstances prior to vaccine protection and after to keep patient care as safe as possible under the very difficult conditions that existed,” she said, stating that Covid-19 has left lasting health impacts on some INMO members, with many still suffering from Long Covid.
“Healthcare provision is and will continue to be very hazardous occupation and this must be acknowledged in this evaluation and future governments must put real and timely protections and supports in place for those who risk their future health for the good of others,” she said.
With reporting by Press Association
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Philippines will sort them out in no time
How can other religions move to countries and not cause havoc and mayhem? Can you imagine scientologists blowing up and shooting innocent people? They’d be shut down in a heartbeat so why is the religion of peace tolerated? I’ll tell you why. You’d get labeled a racist by people who hate labels. Can you imagine Jews fighting for Nazi rights just as liberals fight for Islam. This is what happens when you get brainwashed people who swallow mainstream media with an agenda. Wonder why there are no bombings in places like Japan? A tiny Muslim population that’s why. World leaders in common sense and the blindingly obvious.
@SteveW: perhaps tolerated because it is not responsible, it is the social outcast(s) who islamized their radical view, Japan is not immune but western media coverage is more intense here and gives account in English language, you won’t see CNN Japan being tuned into when something happens in Tokyo or anywhere else for that matter
Red not being funny here but what on earth has media coverage or speaking English got to do with anything? What about other countries that have to put up with these large minority”outcasts” you’re defending? Burma, Kashmir, China, Thailand, Kenya, Ceychnya, Phillipines to name a few. And that’s not including Europe and US.
@Red Marauder: it seems like every country islam has settled in there is serious terrorism problem now south Philippines is exploding now into serious violence. south sudan south Thailand nearly all of Africa all across middle east there is major wars going … after watching primtime on RTE tonight on Islamic extremists i am becoming very fearful for my family future and myself and like all other irish people throughout the island of Ireland…..
@Bobby wilson: And that was on RTE , who had an article about everyones favorite troll Katie Hopkins being sacked for saying there is a problem with islam . https://www.rte.ie/entertainment/2017/0526/878159-katie-hopkins/
@SteveW: it is simple to install fear you need widespread coverage, so they choose targets which will be in the news, it is repeated everytime, a mall, a concert, twin towers etc, the density of media coverage is highest in Western countries where English is universal
@Remy: everyone can quote the Koran, there is no central regulation, you not need to be a scholar for that, now how you sell it or interpret it is different, there are far more peaceful Muslims than what you hear about in the news
@Red Marauder: ”there are far more peaceful Muslims than what you hear about in the news” . Phew ! Thank god you said that , I was thinking it was the 75% were radical , Thank heavens it’s only the other 25% .
doing some basic math, we get that about 006625% not even close to your estimates
@SteveW: 110%
@Remy: people like you and your ilk are just part of the problem
”Tis gonna be a red Ramadan
This atrocity and outrage will be handled in the Phillipines but it will scare the wits out of us Irish and get us highly exercised.
Many Irish live in fear and terror although we are far from a prime target.
@Tony Daly: I actually can’t think of anyone I know who lives in fear of an ISIS attack. I do know plenty who agree we should do our bit to help those trying to escape the terror of these animals while also protecting ourselves by having proper checks on those entering our country.
@Tony Daly: As far I’m aware no one lives in fear of isis in Ireland , but it’s only right that we examine it’s core ideology . Prime time has a segment on isis in Ireland , which obviously doesn’t exist . Whaaaatt !
@Jane: I am taking lots of the alarmist comments at face value. It could be just posturing of course but after each atrocity the alarmism expressed is voluble and even hysterical.
@Ken Hayden: of course it may just be intentional alarmism and deliberate exaggeration of threat on the part of those who comment on Ireland as a target of ISIS.
I rember the hysterical and emotive comments after previous outrages in Europe predicting Ireland as the next target.
It may just be playing up by those who wish to stir up fear and hate or else the Irish are an especially timid nation.
@Tony Daly: And of course , it just might not be deliberate exaggeration .
It cannot be said enough , not all muslims are terrorists , but in among them , there are people who can be , and are radicalized . Denying there is no threat is not a solution .
@Tony Daly: it’s not fear. Tony or alarmist comments. It’s frustration that the empty vessels that make the most noise ie a small minority of do Gooders that get listened to because they shout racist and the pure frustration at the apologists that are so mind numbingly stupid that they get listened to by policy makers
@Tony Daly: why is their a constant down playing on all this Islamic terrorism across the globe by far left supporters by making out its western countries fault for making Islamic people angry.. Their is attacks on churches in Egypt /Nigeria /Pakistan /Iraq /Syria and many many more soon their will be no more Christians in the middle east except Israel…..
@Bobby wilson: 6 Things that cause islamic terrorism .
Intolerance .
Unemployment .
Poor quality council housing .
Not enough diversity on the BBC .
Islamophobic tweets .
Katie Hopkins .
Things that don’t cause islamic terrorism .
The ancient holy book which promises a blissful eternity in the afterlife for anyone who wages deadly jihad against the infidel .
I’m here in Manila. The chief of cops is on tv saying it was some lad trying to rob chips from the casino. Very much doubt it was ISIS related.
@Richie Kennedy: isis claimed responsibility?
@Jackson Bollovks: When the chips are down .
@Richie Kennedy: any more info Richie? My mum is on Negros at the moment but flying to Manila on Saturday to head home Sunday. Slightly concerned
@Maria ✏️: I’m living in Makati Maria, a city in Metro Manila. No updates but nothing to be concerned about. Might be some heightened security at the airport which is a good thing.
@Maria ✏️: Flights are delayed alright so she could miss a connection. The security in the airport is always tight so I wouldn’t worry too much. It seems to have been a lone gunman trying to steal gambling chips.
@Jackson Bollovks: I’d say they would claim responsibility for anything to sow fear. Doesn’t appear to be a terrorism incident based on the information available.
Casino Royal-Q’aeda
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