Call for Dundalk's Dealgan House families to be included in Covid inquiry

Louth Fine Gael TD Fergus O’Dowd has called on any government inquiry into Covid to include the families of the 23 residents who died at Dundalk’s Dealgan House.

Speaking yesterday in the Dail, Deputy O’Dowd sought an update on the timeline for a national inquiry into the Covid Pandemic.

Addressing Justice Minister Helen McEntee he said:

“More than 9,278 citizens have died from Covid-19. Each and every one of those deaths leaves broken hearts and shattered lives. 

“In many cases, relatives never got to say goodbye to their loved ones. What is happening to the inquiry which has been long promised? It is four years since we had our first deaths from Covid-19. I wish to know what is happening in this regard. 

“We need to prepare for the next pandemic. Separately, that inquiry has to have the participation of the families of the 23 people who died in Dealgan House nursing home.”

The TD said that residents “died in extraordinary, unbelievable and very challenging circumstances” and that there were great doubts and uncertainties about how they were looked after and how they died, adding “we must get to the bottom of that tragedy.”

Care champions are campaigning for a small number of nursing homes where people died with no explanation as to what exactly went on. 

In response Helen McEntee said she acknowledged the heartache and distress that has been caused to so many people post Covid. 

She also confirmed that the terms of reference for the inquiry are coming to the Government shortly and that once they are approved, the process itself will start very quickly and the government will be able to engage with all parties, including families.

She continued: “As a Government, we did a lot of things right but we need to make sure that where we could have done things better that we can always learn from that. 

“It will not change things or bring people back but we need to make sure that we engage with everyone who was impacted over the years. 

“Where changes potentially need to take place or where we need to have plans in place - God forbid should anything happen again - we must be able to respond in the most effective way possible.”