Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 15 October 2025
299. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Health the reason the IMC president (details supplied) did not inquire into nursing home fatalities, when this matter was brought to her attention in writing, upon the resignation of a council member as far back as April 2020; if she has engaged with the IMC in relation to this matter; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55635/25]
Amharc ar fhreagra300. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Health the reason her Department ignored concerns raised in April 2020, by a member of the IMC in relation to the catastrophic loss of life within the nursing home sector; the reason this matter was not investigated (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55636/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Question No 299 and Question Number 300 together.
The Medical Council is the independent statutory body which regulates doctors in Ireland. Operating under the Medical Practitioners Act 2007, its primary purpose is to protect the public by promoting high standards of professional conduct, education, training, and competence among registered doctors. One of the Council’s key functions is to investigate complaints against registered doctors, and any person may make a complaint. The Medical Council has no role in the oversight or regulation of nursing homes.
The vulnerability of residents living in nursing home settings was identified early in the pandemic, and the overall national response to COVID-19 had a specific and sustained focus on supporting residents and staff in nursing homes throughout all phases of the pandemic.
I would like to clarify to the Deputy that significant structured support and guidance was provided to the nursing home sector in the early stages of the pandemic and before the specified date in the Deputy's question. This included:
• Nursing homes were a constant focus of NPHET discussions and recommendations from early March – The decisions and recommendations of the NPHET are published in full here: Minutes and agendas from meetings of the NPHET: COVID-19
• AMRIC guidance specific to Infection Prevention and Control Guidance in nursing homes, including outbreak control, which was published on 21 March 2000. This guidance was regularly reviewed and updated many times over the forthcoming months as the disease evolved throughout the pandemic.
• Visiting restrictions in nursing homes were introduced in March 2020, and substantial guidance for providers was developed, which was regularly reviewed and updated throughout the pandemic.
In addition, significant supports were provided to nursing homes, including:
• Substantial support and advice through the Departments of Public Health and Outbreak Control Teams;
• Multidisciplinary clinical support at the Community Healthcare Organisation (CHO) level through 23 COVID-19 Response Teams;
• The provision of free PPE and oxygen to private nursing homes.
• Planned programme of serial testing of all staff in nursing homes.
• Access and mobilisation of staff from community and acute hospitals to nursing homes.
• Free temporary accommodation to nursing home staff.
• The Temporary Assistance Payment Scheme was established for private and voluntary nursing homes to contribute to their preparedness, resilience, and management of COVID-19 outbreaks.
In addition to immediate actions taken, and following a recommendation by the NPHET, the COVID-19 Nursing Homes Expert Panel was appointed in May 2020 to provide immediate, real-time learnings and recommendations in light of the expected impact of COVID-19 over the following 12-18 months.
The expert panel published its report in August 2020, which identified learnings and 86 recommendations to inform the approach to the management and mitigation of risk to older persons resident in nursing homes as the pandemic evolved. Four Progress Reports and two implementation progress updates have been published since the COVID-19 Nursing Homes Expert Panel published its report in August 2020. The most recent implementation progress update was published in November 2024, which highlights that 65 of the 86 recommendations have already been implemented and mainstreamed into normal operations.
The Expert Panel recommendations have provided a guiding framework not only for the pandemic response in nursing homes but also more broadly for a wide-ranging programme of improvement and reform for older persons’ care, in residential care settings.
The Government recognises how incredibly difficult it has been for the families of nursing home residents who died during the pandemic, which has presented one of the greatest and most wide-ranging public health challenges internationally in recent history. The Government remains committed to the implementation of the Expert Panel recommendations, and work is continuing to advance the remaining recommendations.
Additionally, as the Deputy will be aware, a COVID-19 Evaluation Panel has been established. This is an independent, non-statutory evaluation, with a wide remit that will incorporate pandemic responses across hospitals, the community and nursing homes, along with wider economic and societal impacts.
