A Stormont Minister’s response to a Motion supporting the Commissioner for Older People’s call for a public inquiry into the handling of Covid-19 in care homes has been slammed by those who brought the matter to the Fermanagh and Omagh District Council Chamber.

In January, members backed Commissioner Eddie Lynch by a majority vote, with only the Ulster Unionist Party opposing.

Mr. Lynch called on the Stormont Executive to instigate a public inquiry into why care home residents were “disproportionately affected” by the pandemic.

He spoke of “a huge number of excess deaths in care homes, with the latest figures revealing the deaths of [such] residents account for 30 per cent of all Covid-related deaths”.

A motion tabled by two Independent members, Councillor Donal O’Cofaigh and seconded by Councillor Josephine Deehan, supported the Commissioner, “being the first and, to date, only local authority to call for such an inquiry”.

Councillor O’Cofaigh told fellow elected members: “We’ve played a very important role in keeping this on the agenda.

“Using the Chamber, we were able to highlight what was going on in care homes and that was only possible because of the staff and families who provided great detail.”

Seconding, Councillor Deehan said Mr. Lynch’s call for an inquiry was a “vindication of the position of this council”.

However, Ulster Unionist Councillor Victor Warrington was opposed, stressing that nobody set out to cause the deaths of older people.

He said: “We were dealing with something we had never witnessed before. It caused a lot of death and destruction.

“However, there’s politicking going on … We are rehashing the same debate, time after time.”

He contended the Commissioner only called for a public inquiry after a television programme, and “rather than reacting to belated statements in the media, we will be guided by what is in the best interests of care home residents and their families, including relatives of those who have sadly passed away”.

Despite this, the Motion passed comfortably, and all Stormont Departments were written to.

At the most recent Council meeting, correspondence from the Minister for Infrastructure, Nicola Mallon, stated while not within her Departmental remit, she will “thoroughly consider any paper brought to the Executive on this matter”.

However, Councillor Deehan found the response “very disappointing and dismissive”.

She continued: “When we wrote to all Executive ministers, we weren’t merely highlighting the Motion – we specifically requested each minister to support it.

“This concerns the welfare of our elderly population, which this Council has rightly made a strong statement [about].

“It’s not just ‘our opinion’ – it was the Commissioner for Older People who looked at all the information, and decided a public inquiry is needed.”

She added: “I would like to hope any paper coming before any Executive minister received due consideration.

“We’re not asking for that; we are asking for support. This is a hugely disappointing response.”

Councillor O’Cofaigh agreed, describing the correspondence as “off-handed and as minimalist as it can come; it’s barely contemptible”.

While acknowledging Minister Mallon at least responded – the only Minister to do so, to date – he said: “It’s shocking so many people [died], yet nobody is investigating in Northern Ireland.

“We need to find out the truth. In Scotland police are actually leading an investigation into deaths in care homes.”

“[In Northern Ireland] there’s no public or police investigation, no truth, no learning and no assurances this won’t happen again.

“All of that is a chronic failure. It’s genuinely shameful.”