Mattie McGrath: Calls for Probe After 2,000+ Nursing Home COVID Deaths
Mattie McGrath criticised the handling of COVID-19 in Irish nursing homes, citing more than 2,000 deaths and calling the sector "not fit for purpose". He demanded an immediate government apology and a full independent investigation, including a cost-benefit analysis of lockdowns.
Nursing home death toll and sector failures
McGrath said the coronavirus is related in deaths of over 2,000 people in Irish nursing homes, which he said reflected every failure of policy and oversight by successive health ministers and the agencies they oversee. He argued that fatal flaws in health and social care were exposed at the outset of the pandemic and that many nursing homes were unprepared for infectious disease outbreaks.
Support for staff and criticism of systems
He commended nursing home staff and management for working under pressure, lack of resources and stress, while insisting the sector as a whole was not fit for purpose and that this was not the fault of frontline workers. McGrath reiterated that lives mattered and stressed the tragedy of relatives dying alone in institutions.
Calls for apology, investigation and lockdown analysis
McGrath said the government should immediately apologise for the "needless deaths" as a direct result of policy and lack of investment, and he supported a Sinn Féin motion calling for an independent investigation. He said the probe should be full-scale and include a cost-benefit analysis of government-imposed lockdowns, covering impacts on mental health, diagnoses and community services.
Allegations about resource diversion and infection figures
He alleged the HSE seconded PPE and diverted valuable oxygen supplies away from nursing homes. McGrath cited figures that 50% of the COVID-19 deaths occurred in 575 nursing home buildings and that 15% occurred in hospital buildings, and called for systematic analysis of safeguarding practice so such a situation never recurs.
Lessons and demands for accountability
McGrath described it as "flabbergasting" that no systematic analysis had taken place and urged a thorough investigation to ensure lessons are learned and the failures are not repeated. He warned of the severe community impact, referenced Ireland's lengthy lockdown and high nursing home death rate, and pressed for accountability and reform.
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The coronavirus is related in deaths of over 2,000 people in Irish nursing homes reflecting every failure of the policy and oversight by successive health ministers and the agencies that they oversee. Prior to the pandemic, and illustrated again at the very beginning of the pandemic, fatal flaws were exposed in our health and social care services. Many nursing homes were unprepared and infectious disease outbreak not prepared, and the consequences were devastating for the families of lost more than 2,000 relatives in their institutions alone. And one day they weren't too many, but this many is just shocking. At the outset, it is important for me to commend the many nursing homes staff and management, who worked so hard, under considerable pressure, lack of resources, and stress during the pandemic, to do their best to look after their care. However, it is clear that the sector as a whole just wasn't fit for purpose, and that's not their fault. In actual fact, the HSE seconded PPE equipment, diverted away from them valuable oxygen supplies, which they should not have. As I said, the government should immediately apologise for the needless deaths as a direct result of their policies and lack of investment. Additionally, full-scale investigation must be undertaken to ensure such disgraceful situation never occurs again. It is truly flabbergasting that no systematic analysis of safeguarding practice since the sector took place during the pandemic. I had a question today, and I raised these issues with the Minister as well. I support this motion totally by Sinn Féin. An independent investigation should include a cost-benefit analysis of the government imposed lockdowns to date. For instance, overall costs of the lockdowns to the mental health centre, the lay diagnosis, the misdiagnosis, you name them, and then the services together. It is shocking that all these people, and the impact on the community, but communities matter. Lives matter. Lives matter. Our people's lives matter. And in fact, they died alone. Ireland has the longest lockdown in the world and second highest rate of nothing home deaths. It's appalling. I said they don't blame the staff. Of these deaths, we know that 50% of the deaths were infected in 575 nursing home buildings. 15% of COVID-19 deaths were infected in hospital buildings. When we go to the hospital and we go, or when we send someone into nursing home, we talk and we see and we check the area, and I know the staff do their best, but we expect them to be safe above anything else, that they won't get infection, that they won't die as well as somebody picked up in these hospitals or in the nursing homes. So, a thorough and full investigation must be carried out. That this can never happen again. That we can learn from our mistakes. Look back at history. It's a tragedy, but hopefully we can learn from it. Thank you, Deputy Gar Malkuth.
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