NI Covid Bereaved Families for Justice– Press Release 07.09.22

The opening of Module 2 of the UK Covid-19 Inquiry

Following the opening of the Covid-19 public Inquiry on 20^th July 2022 the Chairperson Baroness Hallett has announced the opening of Module 2 which will focus on the overall response to the Covid-19 pandemic. The scope of Module 2 will include an investigation of the UK’s core political and administrative decision making in relation to the Covid-19 pandemic between early January 2020 and March 2022, when restrictions were largely removed.

Module 2 will be split in to a number of sub modules which will assess the response of each devolved nation including Northern Ireland. Module 2C will scrutinise decisions made by the Northern Ireland Executive as well as those of key individuals including the First Minister, Deputy First Minister, the Minister for Health and other relevant Ministers.

The review of government decision making will include an analysis of the roles of ‘Non Pharmaceutical Interventions’ such as lockdowns, local restrictions, social distancing, the use of face coverings, border controls and the degree of rationale behind differences in approach between the Government in Northern Ireland and other Government’s in the UK. This will include a review of the identification of vulnerable groups of individuals and an assessment of the likely impact of NPI’s on such groups.

Other relevant matters which will be reviewed during the course of Module 2C will be the impact of the absence of Ministers from the NI Executive from early 2017 until January 2020 and the extent to which the pandemic response in Northern Ireland was informed by decisions made by the Government in the Republic of Ireland. The provisional scope for Module 2C can be viewed in its entirety here.

Public Hearings for Module 2C will take place in Northern Ireland and are likely to take place in 2023. Module 2C will be highly relevant to bereaved families who have lost a loved one to Covid-19.

Our legal representatives PA Duffy & Company solicitors will be submitting an application for core participant status on behalf of NI Covid Bereaved Families for Justice and its members. As core participants we will have the opportunity to share our experiences, to obtain disclosure of relevant documentation, to attend the public hearings, to suggest lines of questioning to the Inquiry and, where appropriate, to question key witnesses.

Being granted core participant status will also mean that group members will have the costs of their legal representation fully covered by the Inquiry.

We would encourage anyone who has lost a loved one to Covid-19 to join the group and contribute to our campaign for answers and accountability for our loved ones. The deadline for applying for core participant status for Module 2C is 23^rd September 2022.

To sign up to the group you can simply email us to northernireland@covidfamiliesforjustice.org or alternatively you can contact PA Duffy & Company solicitors at covidinquiry@paduffy.com or 02887722102.

NICBFJ are holding a members event in the Europa Hotel on Saturday 22^nd October 2022 at 11am where all group members will have the opportunity to meet in person. Our legal representatives will provide an update on the progress and next steps in the UK Inquiry and there will be guest speakers including Professor. Phil Scraton in attendance as well as local politicians who support the group’s campaign.

Yours Faithfully,

NORTHERN IRELAND BEREAVED FAMILIES FOR JUSTICE (NICBFJ)

Group leads:

Martina Ferguson

Brenda Doherty