The Catholic Bishops have called for an official inquiry into why nursing home facilities in Ireland were so badly affected by covid19 [1].
Residents of nursing homes, accounted for 63% of coronavirus deaths in Ireland, a proportion which is the second worst in the world.
One GP, Marcus de Brun, resigned from the board of the Medical Council in protest, attributing the torrid situation to failures by the Department of Health and Minister Simon Harris.
In a statement on Saturday, [2] the Council for Healthcare of the Irish Episcopal Conference said that lessons must be learned, and they “would welcome appropriate inquiries into the reasons why nursing care facilities were so badly affected”.
“Every resident is someone’s mother, father, grandparent, brother, sister, aunt, uncle, or friend. They have played their part over many decades in contributing to their communities and to the economy. The lives of those who live in such facilities should be valued, respected, and enhanced”.
“Human life is sacred and precious from the child in the womb to the elderly person in care. We must do all that we can to protect life and to improve the quality of life for those who are particularly vulnerable. At this time, the coronavirus crisis presents an opportunity for society to reflect on where it stands in relation to the elderly and to others who are most vulnerable among us. The lessons learned will enable us to build a culture of life and care where everyone is supported and all are entitled to life-protecting services and facilities”.