by Louise Doyle
AN advocacy group assisting those negatively impacted by care during the Covid-19 pandemic has said it is providing legal and grief support to families in Donegal.
Care Champions told the Donegal News it is supporting families in the county who were negatively impacted by care during Covid.
Supports include for families experiencing grief, for those taking legal challenges and some who have cases with the the Ombudsman.
It comes as up to 30 care homes could face criminal investigation depending on results of a Garda inquiry into the death of a woman in a residential home during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2021.
The Irish Times has reported gardaí are examining the care received by the woman in a County Cork home in the period leading up to her death which occurred during one of the worst periods of the pandemic.
The care home in question saw a large number of fatalities in the first 18 months of the pandemic which began in early 2020.
The Irish Times has said it is their understanding that the investigation has been ongoing for a significant period of time and that a large number of interviews have taken place, including with relatives and care home staff.
A file on the case is due to go to the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) very shortly and it will make a final decision on what, if any, charges are brought.
The case is being treated by gardaí as a test case and the decision by the DPP will likely dictate the progress of similar criminal complaints by families of relatives who died in care homes during the pandemic.
One in three of all Covid-19 deaths in the first two years of the pandemic occurred in nursing homes and other residential institutions.
A spokesperson for Care Champions told the Donegal News: “Care Champions supports families in every county including Donegal who were negatively impacted by care in Covid; some for grief support, some are taking legal cases, and some have cases with the Ombudsman.
“I cannot confirm if any of our Donegal families hope to bring their concerns to the guards or not following the outcome of the test case.”
A Garda spokesperson told the Donegal News investigations into deaths in residential homes are investigated individually, on a case by case basis, to determine the exact cause of death and assist local coroners.
“Where evidence of criminality is disclosed files may be prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions.”
Just under 60 claims have been lodged against the HSE relating to deaths in residential units.
Some 43 of these relate to private care homes and 16 relate to acute hospitals or community settings, according to a breakdown from the State Claims Agency.
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