Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank Sinn Féin very sincerely for bringing forward this very important motion. At the very beginning, I must say to all the families who very sadly lost loved persons and loved family members and relatives in nursing homes, or indeed anyhow during the pandemic, we have to sympathise with them this evening. It would be wrong and neglectful not to do so at the very start of every contribution, and to pray for those people who left because of this illness and whose time in this world was cut short. For that we are tremendously sorry.

Many private nursing home operators who account for four in every five nursing homes in the sector felt that they were abandoned during the public health response in the first wave of the pandemic. The Coroners' Society of Ireland has rightfully called for a wide-ranging inquiry into all Covid-19 deaths in nursing homes. There are many other information gaps that must be filled. Of course there are questions that must be answered and of course it is right to highlight that here tonight during this debate, but we must also highlight the excellent nursing homes that run great houses and that take great care of the people in their charge and in their care, and I want to do that on behalf of the nursing homes I represent in County Kerry. Those nursing homes went to extraordinary lengths during the pandemic. I know many of the workers in these nursing homes. The best way I could describe it is that they slaved night and day to ensure the safety and the well-being of the people in their care. These workers in the catering sections, the nursing sections and in the maintenance of the nursing homes all did Trojan work. Only for their efforts, and only for the nursing homes that were successful in keeping the virus out, the situation would have been way worse.

First, we must look at where there were problems or mistakes or where things went wrong. We must also look at where things went right. I publicly thank the management, workers and staff of every nursing home in my county. I thank them most sincerely for protecting and helping to mind older people, our friends and relatives.

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