'Our families cannot move on until there are answers

Relatives slam disrespect shown to those who died | Gran buried in body bag without a wake or Mass'

- SEAN MURPHY

ON THE fifth anniversary of Ireland's Covid-19 hell, victims' families have accused the Government of repeating the disrespect shown to the survivors of the mother and baby home scandal and Stardust fire.

Majella Beattie of Care Champions, a group that supports families who lost loved ones to the virus, is critical of the Government's inquiry, called the Covid-19 Evaluation Panel.

She also told this newspaper that countless families are struggling to cope with losing relatives in horrific circumstances, especially in the first wave.

Over 9,500 deaths have been attributed to Covid-19 in Ireland and Majella warned that a full inquiry must establish if mistakes were repeated through the various surges of infection from March 2020.

The family of deeply religious Dublin woman Patricia Gray told us they remain heartbroken because she was buried in a body bag without a wake, Mass or funeral blessing.

Patricia's granddaughter Laurie Gray said priests were afraid to touch the dead.

Devastated widower Pat Coyle, who lost his wife Veronica in the third wave, is still rebuilding his life five years later.

Pat told this newspaper how he and Veronica's three children queued up outside a nursing home to spend a few final minutes with her.

Like so many families, they could not be at her bedside and got a call at home the next morning. Veronica had died, probably overnight, definitely alone.

Care Champions founder Majella told us: "At this five-year anniversary, the Government has shown a shocking lack of respect for those who lost their lives or suffered great harm.

"Comments from our Government leaders that people died but we did very well' are a gross insult.