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The Meath West TD highlighted the case of Dr Patrick Morrissey who has been brought before the Irish Medical Council this week – and he called for a pause on fitness-to-practice inquiries before report on Ireland’s response.
Deputy Tóibin raised the matter of a number of doctors in recent months facing misconduct allegations before the Irish Medical Council, saying these hearings come before the completion of the review into Ireland’s handling of the pandemic, due next year.
The Meath West TD said: “This is a matter of civil liberties, about the ability to have different views.
“There hasn’t been a proper investigation into Covid. We haven’t even had the review, which in itself appears to be a pale reflection of what an investigation should be.
“And yet we have these doctors who have been brought before the Medical Council and found guilty of wrongdoing.”
He added: “This state has a lot of questions to answer itself, before others can be judged. Ireland was one of the most locked down countries in the world, and it had major effects, for example, the closure of special schools and the trapping of families in domestic violence situations. Young people suffered significantly.
“For example – what is the government’s vaccine injury scheme? Most other countries have a vaccine injury scheme at this stage.”
Cork county councillor Peter O’Donoghue said: “A number of doctors are going before the medical council in relation to actions taken in the pandemic.
“They were cases of doctors criticising lockdowns or giving vaccines to children, or questioning guidelines.
“We are asking them to be stalled until after the Covid review review has taken place, so we can decide how the Government reacted first, before finding doctors guilty of malpractice of misconduct.
“Ireland has serious questions to answer, about nursing homes, about people dying in isolation, about the necessity of lengthy school closures.
“We haven’t even had the Covid review and doctors acting in good faith with different opinions are facing ruination.”
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