Failure of commissioners to mention that Ireland also had Covid care home problems was surprising, yet they decline to explain the omission

It is a ripe topic for careful examination, because there have been tragic numbers of deaths in such homes, both here and across these islands.

In fact, as Eddie Lynch and Les Allamby have pointed out, the “rest of UK, Sweden, United States, Italy and Spain among others were also found wanting” in care home deaths.

All those countries have been criticised for their overall response to Covid-19. But other nations that are not so often criticised, including France, have fared badly in terms of deaths in residential homes too.

Indeed, countries and places that have been specifically praised in their overall response to coronavirus, such as Germany and California, have experienced tragic instances of infection getting into premises and killing multiple residents.

The commissioners could not be expected to list every single country. But it is surprising that they somehow failed to mention the Republic of Ireland in an article that was critical of the Northern Ireland handling of such homes.

In fact, it is astonishing. The commissioners can hardly be unaware of the relentless comparisons made between NI and the Republic in terms of Covid-19.

It has been an onslaught, to try to imply that this Province has suffered from being in a reckless UK, while Ireland has responded better.

While it is too early to make detailed comparisons between jurisdictions, there are clear broad trends. One such trend is that the Republic has had a roughly similar per capita death toll to NI, and that it has had just as bad a care home toll.

If, amid politicisation of Covid-19, the commissioners somehow forgot to mention Ireland’s problems, so be it. Then why did they decline our opportunity to clarify the matter?

London generously funds such commissions and no doubt the commissions themselves will agree that it is essential that they are seen to be above partisan politics.

• Commissioners decline to explain why they did not mention Republic of Ireland in article on failures around Covid care home deaths

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