19 applicants challenge refusal of Covid care homes inquiry

This report is a localnews.ie summary based on public court reporting and records; sources are listed below.

Nineteen applicants challenged the refusal to investigate Covid-19 deaths in care homes in a High Court case reported on 26 July 2021.

The applicants sought judicial review of the Minister for Health’s decision, formally indicated the previous month, not to establish a public investigation. They said the refusal was unlawful and that an inquiry was required under the Constitution and the European Convention on Human Rights.

Mr Justice Charles Meenan adjourned the matter after it was briefly mentioned on an ex-parte basis, saying he wanted time to consider the documents. The report said the application was adjourned to later that week.

This report covers an earlier stage of the case. Later developments are not reported here.