Council quells motion calling for public inquiry

A Cork County Councillor had a motion calling for a public inquiry into the previous government’s handling of Covid-19 put on hold following tense exchanges at County Hall.

Independent Councillor Peter O'Donoghue also called for an investigation into what he described as “the major increase in excess deaths” in the last three years and whether they are linked to previous Covid restrictions.

The Fermoy councillor was supported in the chamber by head of the Adare Medical Centre, Dr Pat Morrissey, and psychotherapist Josephine Keohane.

“I really want to emphasise the words ‘transparent’, ‘independent’, and ‘public’ in my motion today as this is what is needed, and not a closed doors inquiry with handpicked individuals, which is what the current Government seems to be proposing,” said Cllr O’Donoghue.

He went on to describe the previous government’s implementation of the Covid lockdowns as “the start of the most draconian, authoritarian measures” taken by any government in the history of the Irish state.

Cllr O’Donoghue said: “These restrictions went on to last nearly two years, in the process having major implications for several human constitutional and democratic rights.”

He claimed the former government had “coerced an entire population” into taking trial vaccines.

“The government’s response to Covid 19 cost the state at least €30 billion. The cost of living in this country has gone out of control since the introduction of the Covid lockdowns,” said Cllr O’Donoghue.

“Most worrying of all is that deaths in the country have increased dramatically,” he added.

Mr O’Donoghue claimed that “excess deaths” are up by over 22,000 since January 2021 according to the General Register Office and Rip.ie.

Independent councillor William O’Leary supported Cllr O’Donoghue’s request for a public inquiry but distanced himself from elements pertaining to excess deaths.

He said: “This is the norm in most countries – we saw a very high level public inquiry in the UK carried out a number of months ago.

“I respect Cllr Peter O’Donoghue. Do I agree with everything he said there? I don’t, but I think Peter values open debate and honest discussion,” added Cllr O’Leary.

Independent Ireland councillor Ger Curley said: “I don’t support the motion. I feel hindsight is a fine thing and when this all happened, we didn’t know what was in front of us. There will be, I presume, an investigation and report. All the facts will then come out and I think the Government, under the pressures they faced, did a fine job,” he added.

Fine Gael councillor John Michael Foley, who works as a funeral director, also disagreed with the motion.

He said: “Take it from a fella who worked in the frontline during Covid from start to finish. There was no escape for us.

“We went into houses and collected people. We went into hospitals and collected people.

“I gladly took a vaccine during it because I was delighted it was available to me.

“The Government did a fantastic job. They did what they felt was necessary at the time,” he added.

Fine Gael Councillor Anthony Barry said: “I trust the democratically elected Government to put in place a review of the Covid issue and I trust that the result of that, which is an ongoing process at the moment, will be factually correct.

“Hindsight is a wonderful thing but when we saw the pictures coming out of Italy, when I drove past the Mercy Hospital and saw the army putting up tents, we have to look back at what was presented in front of us. We’re all experts after the event,” added Cllr Barry.

Responding to his colleagues, Cllr O’Donoghue said: “Hindsight was mentioned there many times. The actual fact of the matter is at that time there were many professionals who voiced their opposition to what the government were doing.”

He then called for his motion to be put to a vote. However, an amendment suggested by Fianna Fáil’s Patrick Mulcahy, to wait for the result an ongoing Government Covid inquiry, was voted into play with 41 votes for and three against, meaning Cllr O’Donoghue’s motion would not go to vote and not be passed for the time being.

“That’s democracy for you. My conscience is clear anyway,” concluded Cllr O’Donoghue.