Courts / Louth / Report

State should be present for challenge to refusal of Covid care homes inquiry

Summary

In a High Court hearing on 1 November 2021, Mr Justice Charles Meenan directed that an application to challenge the Minister for Health's refusal to launch a public inquiry into Covid‑19 deaths in care homes must be made in the presence of State lawyers. The action, brought by 19 individuals who lost relatives to Covid‑19 in care homes, seeks to overturn the Minister's June 2021 decision not to establish an investigation. The applicants argue the refusal is contrary to the public interest, unfair, unreasonable and disproportionate, and that it breaches the Irish Constitution and the European Convention on Human Rights. They request an order quashing the decision, a declaration that an inquiry is required under constitutional and human‑rights provisions, and that the refusal is unlawful, unconstitutional and infringes their rights.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: State should be present for challenge to refusal of Covid care homes inquiry. Procedural stage: hearing_or_decision

When:

• June 28th Hearing Or Sentence
• 2021-11-01 Publication

Why: They want the State to conduct an investigation because of their deep concerns about their relatives' deaths and about the preparedness and response of the care homes. CNI source report

Places mentioned

Topics

Stage Hearing Or Decision

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Read the original CNI report