A chairwoman has been appointed to examine how Ireland handled the coronavirus pandemic.
Professor Anne Scott will lead a comprehensive evaluation of how the country managed Covid-19, with the aim of learning lessons from the pandemic experience.
The Government made the announcement on Wednesday evening following a Cabinet meeting, and said it has agreed the terms of reference for an evaluation of the response to the pandemic.
It is set to include a consideration of the health service response covering hospitals, the community and nursing homes, along with the wider economic and social response, including the impact on education and businesses.
Professor Scott is to lead a multi-disciplinary panel with relevant expertise to produce focused recommendations.
Speaking earlier, Taoiseach Simon Harris said it was important Ireland learned the lessons from the Covid-19 pandemic.
He said the timeline for hearings would be up to the chairwoman and the panel.
“It’s important we look back at what went well during the Covid pandemic, and also learn lessons in terms of what can go better in terms of preparedness for future pandemics, and lessons from that very, very difficult period of time in our country,” he said.
“I think the Covid evaluation is really important. I said, since the start of the pandemic right through to now, that it can be really important we look back at that period of time.
“Covid had such a serious impact on everybody’s life in Ireland, and so many lives across the world, and devastating impacts for some people.
“Decisions were made. They were made in real time. They were made with the best information available to them but even looking back now, it’s important that we look at what could have happened better and what could be done better in the future.
“So, I think it’s a really important process, and it’s one that I’ve supported and wanted to see happen for quite a period of time.”
Tánaiste Micheál Martin welcomed the move.
“Recent studies, by the way, in the Lancet (medical journal) indicate that Ireland did even better than we might have thought in terms of mortality, notwithstanding the huge impact that Covid had on the lives of so many, many people,” he said.
“But 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, and we do have to interrogate our own systems to make sure that they respond properly.”
However Aontu leader Peadar Toibin has said a “wishy-washy” Covid evaluation will not be acceptable.
He has called for a full public inquiry with the ability to compel papers and witnesses.
“So many people died in nursing homes during the Covid crisis,” he said.
“Thousands of people were moved from hospitals into nursing homes at the start of the Covid crisis without being tested, thus seeding the illness into Nursing Homes, which was the ground zero of Covid deaths.
“We also need to investigate the closure of life and death health services during the crisis.
“We need to investigate the massive increase in excess deaths that are happening now and indeed since the Covid crisis receded.”
He added: “It would be impossible for any government to get everything right in the middle of a pandemic. But we need to work out what decisions were beneficial and which ones caused societal damage.
“There must be accountability for waste.”
