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

I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, to the House. As we are all aware, more than 2,000 people have died in our nursing homes due to Covid over the past 12 months or so, 1,000 of them, sadly, in the third wave. What is special about Dealgan House is that 23 residents died from Covid there in April 2020 and it is the only nursing home in the country, notwithstanding all the deaths elsewhere, that was taken over by the HSE. A serious, significant administrative decision was made to go in there and take it over, and the families want to know why that happened. On 5 April they expressed serious concerns about the nursing home. On 11 April, Paul Reid, the head of the HSE, was made personally aware of the unfolding tragedy. It took until 17 April for substantial supports to be in place in the nursing home.

The families want to know what happened in the meantime. They are entitled to know that, they are entitled to closure. The families met have met, with due courtesy, with the Minister and Minister of State, Deputies Donnelly and Butler. They met the head of the RSCI Hospital Group, Ian Carter. We have put in dozens of parliamentary questions. They have put in dozens of freedom of information requests. The families who suffered most are still waiting on the truth. The only way they will get that truth, I believe, is through a commission of inquiry. There is a precedent for that, namely Leas Cross. It was the only nursing home taken over by the HSE. The Minister can make the order and the Dáil will approve it. There can be voluntary co-operation of witnesses, power of search, and compellabillity of witnesses is needed under fair procedures. I know two witnesses who want to give evidence to such an inquiry who were shocked and appalled by what they found in the home when they went in there. They are ready, willing and able to come before such an inquiry. I ask the Minister of State to address that significant failure of management in that nursing home in her reply. The only way that truth will out is by such an inquiry, transparent, open and accountable.

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