TDs have sought answers in the Dáil this week in relation to the level of excess deaths being recorded in Ireland, and several deputies have also said that constituents have raised questions about possible harm caused by vaccinations.
Fianna Fáil TD, John McGuinness, who was a member of the Special Committee on Covid-19 Response, said he was “beginning to think that the number of deaths is unusual and, therefore, we should examine that and try to understand what is the cause of that.”
Speaking in the Dáil on Wednesday of this week on trends in Mortality and Estimates of Excess Mortality, the Kilkenny TD said that the number of young people dying in his county shocked him.
“Some people consider that there are a lot more deaths now than in comparison to previous years and normal life expectancy,” he said. “I accept that we have an increased ageing population and that would explain some of the numbers. What shocks me in my own county is the number of young people who are dying, the number of cancer cases being reported and the range of the types of cancer that people are suffering from, in some cases causing death. We should educate ourselves on what is happening and we should try to understand the types of cancer and where they come from.”
He said that he had learned from the experience of a farmer in his own constituency where it became evident that it was important to examine emissions from a factory for a local high death rate.
“We need to understand what was in the air at that time that caused all of that to happen. Similarly, we need to understand in relation to either vaccines or unusual cancers why all of that is happening,” Deputy McGuinness added.
On the numbers of excess deaths, the Kilkenny TD said: “Because the numbers are so different by comparison to other years, that in itself should set off at least some alarm bells and it should focus the minds of those in authority on why that is happening, setting aside the ageing of our population.”
“If we were to do that, we might dispel some of the extreme explanations that we read about and we could address the reasons it is happening and learn from them,” he said. “I would certainly support further investigation into the numbers.”
“I certainly would not support the argument being dismissed on the grounds of it being something that is made up or coming from sharing stories on the Internet or elsewhere. There is a basis here for a discussion, which we are having in this House, and for some action to be taken. As well as that, we have an obligation to allay the fears of those who are very concerned about the number of deaths.”
“I spoke to my local undertaker in Kilkenny and he too is very surprised by the numbers,” Deputy McGuinness said.
“In short, I believe the numbers are unusually high. It is important that the Department of Health, the Government, and any other Department, should examine this to determine why and to learn from what has happened in the past. If we do not do that, we could be just storing up a problem for the future.”
He said that the Covid-19 vaccine “suddenly came out of nowhere”.
“Any new vaccine that came out very quickly during that time is due to be appraised anyway. It should be looked at because of the fact that the vaccine suddenly came
from nowhere. Is it the best? Can we do better? Are the complaints on the issue valid? The number of people who want answers is such that we should facilitate some form of look-back and determine what those answers should be.”
DANNY HEALY-RAE: LIFE IS PRECIOUS
In the same debate, Independent TD, Danny Healy-Rae said that there was a “lot of conversation” around people dying in County Kerry.
“The minute I mention the word “vaccination”, I am accused of being anti-vax, but the conversation is being had and people are asking why all the deaths are happening. They are asking whether they are the result of Covid or the vaccinations and they need answers.
We need to have an independent investigation into what is happening because life is precious and we want people to live as long as possible.
“The increase in deaths all over needs to be investigated. People are dying from clots, heart attacks and strokes. Doctors and nurses will talk about this privately but they will not state in public what they believe to be the cause. It is as if they are silenced. They know the cause because they were dealing with the patients who died, including people in their 40s – young people who should be around for many years to come. There is concern over what is happening in our community.”
He called for the Minister of State Martin Heydon to urge an independent investigation.
AONTÚ LEADER
Peadar Tóibín of Aontú said his party had “been raising serious concerns over excess mortality for two years. There has been a prolonged period, month after month, where mortality figures have been far in excess of the normal in this State. We have been doing so through debates here, through parliamentary questions and in the media. It is deeply frustrating that the Government has not taken this issue seriously at all over the last two years.”
“It is incredible that I have asked the Taoiseach about this question, and he admitted that it was the case that there were excess deaths. He said he would go to the chief medical officer, CMO, to find out what the issue was, and he never came back to the Dáil with a response from the CMO. In a bizarre twist, a Gript journalist, just in the last ten days, asked the Minister, Deputy Donnelly, what he thought of the excess deaths and what he was doing about it. The Minister said that he did not know anything about excess deaths, even though he had answered three questions in the previous year admitting that there were significant excess deaths happening. There is something really strange in the way the Government has been dealing with this,” he said.
Aontú is the only party that has been challenging the government over the very high level of excess mortality in Ireland.
More people are dying each month than would be expected.
We finally got a debate in the Dáil on it this week. pic.twitter.com/aacJuYU2wU
— Peadar Tóibín TD (@Toibin1) October 20, 2023
The Meath West TD said that heart disease, stroke and mental health services were reduced significantly during the Covid-19 pandemic.
“It was not just Aontú that was pushing back against this. We had clinicians and senior medical professionals who said that the Government was making a mistake and that there would be a tsunami of far more advanced illnesses hitting the health system in the near future if the Government did not intervene. The Government kept sitting on its hands on this. It even closed down screening cancer services in this country,” he said.
MICHAEL MCNAMARA: ‘WORRYING TREND”
Clare TD Michael McNamara said that it was “quite clear” to him that there has been an increase in excess mortality rates but he said he had “no idea why”.
“We do need to find out what is behind the excess deaths,” he said, adding that “there seems to be a worrying trend.”
“Diagnoses of various cancers, in particular, were delayed as a result of Covid-19, he said.
“Everyone brings baggage with them and it informs how they view the world, how they do their jobs and all the decisions they make. People cannot park their ideologies, philosophies or what drove them to be scientists and to give their lives to science and suddenly say there is an objective right and wrong answer.”
“When social media first arrived, it was believed it would provide a kind of town hall forum for respectable debate, not only between neighbours and friends, but between people all over the world. Instead, it has led to people becoming incredibly trenchant in the expression of their views because they find them echoed. Sometimes it is enough for people to feel affirmed in their views if they are echoed once anywhere else in the world and they become increasingly trenchant. The discussion of excess mortality in social media is just one example. It was evident throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, on both sides of the debate. Concern has expressed by many about conspiracy theorists on one side, but there was plenty of abuse going around on all sides and from people with all viewpoints on how we as a society should respond to Covid-19,” he said.
“I have taken enough time to say I have no idea what is causing this excess mortality but it needs to be investigated and that we must realise that those who investigate it probably do not have a monopoly on accuracy,” the Independent TD added.
Michael Collins TD also called for an inquiry into the spike in deaths, saying that recently excess deaths consistently surpassed historical averages. “Given this alarming situation, we firmly believe an independent inquiry into the excess deaths is imperative. The trend is shocking and merits an investigation, including a pandemic inquiry,” he said.
In February, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said he would seek the advice of the Chief Medical Officer over the number of excess deaths that had been reported at that time.
The HSE continues to advise that COVID-19 vaccination “is safe and effective” and “gives you the best protection against serious COVID-19 illness”.