Cabinet to approve inquiry assessing Ireland's handling of covid-19 pandemic
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An inquiry into how Ireland performed during the covid-19 pandemic is due to be formally approved by Cabinet today.
Tánaiste Micheál Martin confirmed that the coalition would rubberstamp the inquiry and that a chair would be appointed today by Cabinet.
“I think it is important that we do evaluate comprehensively how we reacted and responded to Covid-19, because we could be facing future pandemics in the future or future emergencies of a different kind,” Mr Martin said.
“We do have to interrogate our own systems to make sure that they respond properly.”
Mr Martin said that the decision would “essentially” put the inquiry into place, but that there was still a bit more work to be done on the matter.
The Tánaiste said that recent studies in the medical journal, have indicated that Ireland may have performed better than expected regarding mortality, but that this was “notwithstanding the huge impact that Covid had on the lives of so many, many people."
The inquiry itself has been long delayed, with Taoiseach Simon Harris saying in August that it was due to begin in early Septembe, however, this did not materialise.
Mr Martin has previously said that he prefers the term evaluation rather than inquiry, saying that it should examine how society was impacted by the pandemic — from the economy to public health.
He also previously insisted that any covid-19 inquiry would take a different approach than that of the UK, saying it had not shed “much light on the subject” but instead provided “moments of great drama.”
“I’m not saying it shouldn’t be held in public, I’m not ruling that out at all but it would be public sessions, not in the classic sort of tribunal mode.”
Taoiseach Simon Harris did not give a timeline for the covid-19 inquiry, saying that it would instead be a matter for the chair to set. He said that the chair would be responsible for putting together a panel and begin work “that works for them as an independent chair”.
“I think, objectively, this country did quite well during Covid but also we know that Covid had a devastating impact for many, many people in our country.
“Particularly I know people living in nursing homes but also had an impact on many parts of our economy and our society.
“It’s really important that we look back, that we evaluate what went well, what could be done better in future pandemics, what are the learned lessons for the future.
“But I think it is important that Government puts the structure in place and then its up really to the panel to get on with it.”