The Northern Ireland Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice believe that while there is a UK-wide Inquiry, a complementary Northern Irish Inquiry should take place. PA Duffy & Co. Solicitors support this and are advising that a complementary inquiry in Northern Ireland should be established as soon as possible. 

Yes, the inquiry has formally established a listening exercise called ‘Every Story Matters.’ The Chair has confirmed that the aim of this exercise is to provide an equal opportunity to directly find out the lived experience of as many impacted people as possible. To share your experience please visit the official UK Covid-19 Inquiry website which can be accessed here.

Please note that the Chair has also confirmed that the Inquiry will not consider in detail individual cases submitted to the exercise. Rather, the Inquiry will consider the overarching themes and issues informed by the experiences of those sharing their stories.

In addition, it is the decision of the Chair who to call as witnesses to the Inquiry. A decision based on their experience, to provide a representation of the issues laid down in the Inquiry Terms of Reference. PA Duffy & Co. Solicitors are working tirelessly to ensure that the voices of bereaved families are at the forefront of the Inquiry’s investigation. 

Yes, please sign up to join Northern Ireland Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice by contacting northernireland@familiesforjustice.org

For more information on how to formally participate in the inquiry and the options available to you, please visit the Get Involved section of our website.

The Inquiry currently has no date for completion. While we must note that other inquiries have posed significant timeframes, please be assured that PA Duffy & Co. Solicitors are committed to pursuing an Inquiry timetable that is both adequate and efficient. 

In addition, the Chair, Baroness Hallett has emphasised that the Inquiry will proceed in a timely manner. 

The Chair, Baroness Hallett has announced a modular approach to the Covid Inquiry. Therefore, reports will be published at the end of each module. 

The goal of this inquiry is to examine the preparedness for, response to, and impact of the Covid-19 pandemic in the UK. Therefore, the inquiry will produce an evidenced account of what happened to determine accountability for the compelling failures which contributed to suffering, loss and hardship. 

By considering this evidence, the inquiry will make recommendations for the future to ensure that vital lessons are learned to inform preparations for future pandemics. 

As the instructed solicitors for the Northern Ireland Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice, we will keep you updated with incoming information from the Inquiry. 

The COVID inquiry may yield a range of potential outcomes and recommendations, including improved preparedness measures to address future pandemics, changes in public health policies and guidelines to enhance response strategies, healthcare system reforms to bolster capacity and resilience, refined emergency response protocols for efficient crisis management, enhanced communication strategies to ensure clear and consistent messaging, strengthened public health education efforts, potential legal and regulatory changes to adapt to emergency situations, emphasis on international cooperation and global health security, accountability measures for individuals and organisations, resource allocation adjustments for healthcare and research, investments in research and development, and improved data collection and analysis to monitor and respond to emerging infectious diseases effectively.

The specific recommendations will be informed by the inquiry's findings and aim to better protect public health in future health crises.