Since March 2020, at least 3,692 people have died of Covid-19 in Northern Ireland (a recent published NISRA report reveals dated 02 Dec 2021).

Thousands of families in Northern Ireland have lost loved ones in some of the worst imaginable conditions. Many people who died of Covid-19 died alone, either in Hospitals or in Care Homes.

Many other people died alone.

We know death comes to us all, however, thousands of families were not able to comfort their loved ones in their final hours, minutes and breaths.

We deserve to know why we have lost so many loved ones, and we deserve to know that loss like this won’t occur again.

The only way to learn lessons that will save lives in future Pandemics is through a Northern Ireland Executive based Public Inquiry (Judge-led) into the handling of the Pandemic.

Decisions regarding Health & Social Care in Northern Ireland are made by the Department of Health and we don’t want them overlooked in the upcoming UK wide public inquiry. The Scottish Government has agreed to hold a Scottish inquiry into the handling of the pandemic, and yet Northern Ireland law makers are yet to even meet with Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice. 

I’m sure you will agree our loved ones deserve justice just as much as those lost in England and Scotland.

It is just as important that our families are kept safe in future Pandemics. This will not be the last, and we must not repeat the mistakes of the past. 

You may be aware that the Commissioner for Older People NI, the NI Human Rights Commissioner and the Head of Amnesty International in Northern Ireland have all called for the Northern Ireland Executive to establish a devolved public inquiry into their handling of the pandemic. 

COVID-19 has touched every aspect of life in Northern Ireland, and the harms resulting from the Pandemic expand beyond loss of life to Covid.  

Families have been locked out of Care Homes, unable to see their parents, grandparents, children or siblings.

Many in this situation may not have understood why they couldn’t see their loved ones at the hardest points in their lives and at a point when they most needed their family.  Services stopped, assessed needs were not met and are still not being met.

It’s been said that COVID-19 placed so much pressure on the NHS that life saving treatments and surgeries were postponed or cancelled, bringing about further unnecessary deaths. 

Did anyone even consider the emotional harm and mental anguish caused to residents of care homes, care settings or hospital patients and their families?!

Who in the system was supposed to protect our most vulnerable (young and older) who were entrusted to protect them?!

Who in the system is responsible for ensuring that peoples’ human rights are upheld?!

We are now in consultation with Legal Representatives regarding the Terms of Reference for the inquiry. The Terms of Reference determine what should be included in the scope of the inquiry, and we want to make sure that nothing is overlooked.  So many questions remain unanswered.

Is this the only Pandemic that we will experience during our lifetime, and how prepared are we for the next?!

If you feel Northern Ireland deserves a devolved Public Inquiry and / or you feel impacted during this Pandemic and believe a Northern Ireland Public Inquiry needs to happen – please sign this petition.

 

Sign this petition to add your voice to calls for lessons to be learned, and justice to be served to Northern Ireland victims of Covid-19 and their families. 

 

Thank you for your support.

 

Martina Ferguson & Brenda Doherty
Campaigners for NI Public Inquiry

 

We are supported by COVID-19 Bereaved Families for Justice UK Group who are being represented by Broudie Jackson Canter, the UK COVID Inquiry Legal Representatives for families.