Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I will ask a couple of questions. They are not very difficult.

I am concerned about older people. In the Republic of Ireland, in the first four months of the pandemic, something like 1,500 people passed away. Some 65% of them were living in nursing home accommodation, while in the UK the proportion was 43% and in Sweden it was 47%. Who vindicates the rights of older people, in the witnesses' view? Is that their role in the context of the quality of care delivered? I know it is not part of the discussion for today, but this matter concerns me greatly. In some nursing homes - and I know that different jurisdictions are represented here - there are serious issues around human rights and whether residents were appropriately or properly treated and their rights vindicated.

The second issue I wish to raise is about refugees, particularly those from Ukrainian. In my constituency, I have had a complaint in recent weeks, regrettably and sadly, that they feel intimidated and bullied and they have been shouted at and threatened with deportation back to Ukraine. They have been treated very badly. I have been in contact with the Department. I have not got an appropriate answer from it yet as to who will deal with these issues and vindicate the rights these people intrinsically have. Today, somewhere in the midlands, Ukrainians were moved with two days' notice, which is appalling. There are issues like that. This may not be the correct issue for the witnesses today. Perhaps they could respond to my comments later. Those are the issues that concern me right now.