Coroners rule out holding inquests online during pandemic

Coroners throughout the country have had to delay the holding of inquests in a physical sense because of the Covid-19 crisis and may have to put them back for several months.

Up to 10 inquests per county unrelated to the pandemic have already had to be put back and many coroners have ruled out the holding of “virtual” (online) inquests because they feel they would not be “humane” and would deprive families of being able to interact with coroners, Gardai, pathologists and witnesses and would not get proper closure following the death of a relative.

The holding of inquests, either in local hospitals or courthouses, is being kept under review and further decisions will not be made pending the Government’s review of the lockdown on 5^th May next.

Interaction

Coroners said yesterday that there was a very high degree of communication and interaction between themselves and the Government and State agencies since the start of the crisis. They were also high in their praise of frontline staff in nursing homes and care institutions.

Nathaniel Lacy, Coroner for Co Meath, said that there was a backlog in the county of four to five inquests for both March and April but he felt that it was better to delay these inquests rather than try to hold them by using the internet. In the majority of cases, families of deceased persons preferred to interact with the coroner, Gardai, witnesses and pathologists in order to get all the answers as to how their relative died. It would come as an enormous comfort to them as they sought those answers and would bring some sort of closure for them, he said.

He would wait to see what would happen on 5^th May when the lockdown was about to be reviewed by the Government and he had some hope that he might be able to resume holding inquests by the end of May if that proved possible.

Documentation

Mr Lacy said that it might be possible to hold “paper” inquests in which documentation would be presented by way of affidavit and then a verdict reached but he was “very reluctant” to go down that route. 

“Families would not have the same opportunity to raise questions and have their queries answered in that setting. My preference is for the delaying of inquests rather than have ‘paper’ or ‘virtual’ inquests. Virtual inquests would be impersonal and would not be in the best interests of families”.

In a normal year, between 40 and 50 inquests would be held each year but Mr Lacy said he had no details yet of the impact of Covid-19 on deaths in the county. 

He said that under the Coroners Act 1962-2019, coroners had to be informed of notifiable infectious diseases. When this type of death was notified to him, he would normally make enquiries among Gardai and medical practitioners as to the cause of death and in some cases, it might not be necessary to direct that a post-mortem be held.

How are you coping in Dunshaughlin?

COUNCILLOR GERRY O'CONNOR, MANAGER DUNSHAUGHLIN COMMUNITY CENTRE

We actually closed the centre before we were told to close it. I had bought €1,000 worth of paint so we  could paint the building. That meant we could keep the nine staff going but then the lockdown came in. It’s certainly a quiet place at the moment. We would normally have a footfall of 88,000 to 90,000 a year, and that includes 300 members of the gym and we have 1,100 students from the community college on our books.
We have gone through hard timed before – in 2010, we had a debt of €150,000 and just before Christmas we had cleared that. At he moment, we are down €2,500-€3,000 a week. I suppose one good outcome from all this is that we can hear the birds singing and nature at work. There are plenty of people out walking. I see lads whose daily walk would be the pub but they're now putting in the full two kilometres.
I’ve just ended a Zoom meting of the Municipal District. We get regular updates from the council CEO Jackie Maguire and we were able to discuss finance, roads, etc. This time of year would normally the time we would be rolling out our roads programme but that’s not happening because of the crisis. Of course, there are financial implications for the county council from all this. I’d believe we’re about €7 million or €8 million down since the crisis started.
This can be a very lonely time for many people, especially those cocooning and those who live in rural areas. It’s difficult for people’s mental health. Very often, some people over 70 wouldn’t see another person from one end of the week to another.

ANN O’LOUGHLIN, SECRETARY, SPECIAL OLYMPICS

The club was started by the Campion family – Nicky, Hamill, Laura and their parents Gerry and Rosaline. We have 22 members but we’re always open to new members  We competed in the North Leinster Athletics last year and we were thrilled to come in at third place and of course thrilled with our medals. We’re keeping in touch with all the members and their parents during this difficult time. I’m coping very well myself. We are very lucky to also have our three grandchildren here with us. We are blessed that we are all here together.

Dunshaughlin Garda station. Image © Google Maps.

GARDA DEREK HALLIGAN, COMMUNITY GARDA

I’ve been in Dunshaughlin  for 25 years and a full-time community Garda for 10 years. Myself and Garda Barbra Kelly cover the Ashbourne district which includes Ashbourne, Laytown, Duleek, Ratoath, Dunboyne, Dunshaughlin. We would normally have school programmes going in the 40 primary schools and 10 secondary schools in the district and would cover things like online safety, drugs and personal safety.
We also liaise closely with Neighbourhood Watch schemes and then there is the text alert system. We have 40 groups in that and is very useful to the Garda and the community. At the moment, of course, with the schools closed our worked is mostly concentrated on checking in with elderly people who are cocooning to see if they need prescriptions delivered from pharmacies and that kind of thing. People living on their own can be very vulnerable so we can check in with them if they need us. We’re at the end of the phone if anyone needs us.

PETER KAVANAGH, OWNER, PHARMACIES DUNSHAUGHLIN AND RATOATH

We have been in Dunshaughlin in business for 35 years. There have been challenges along the way but Covid-19 has provided the most interesting challenge. We have a very professional staff. Indeed, without them we wouldn't be able to operate. We rely on them to do everything safely during this crisis. We're following all the guidance and, of course, limiting the number of people coming into the store – just two at a time and then only into the well of the door. They are then addressed by staff behind screens.
The GAA are fantastic, really, for the way they have volunteered to make deliveries to those cocooning and to the vulnerable. It's extraordinary the amount of volunteerism that is around. Things were a little bit difficult at the beginning of the crisis because people were worried they wouldn't get their supply of medicines but we weren't fearful of that because we knew there would be continuity of supply.
Things have settled down very well now. People have got used to social distancing and then we are lucky with the amount of space we have to conduct our own operations. Most of our customers would be already well known to us and we know when someone needs that special extra bit of care.
Of course, there are many people who are quite well able to fend for themselves. As for my own family, we all live in he same house. We have two graduates with us who can't go to work. Our son Jack does a lot of work online. However, the biggest problem for us is the poor broadband service where we live – it's really very difficult and very slow. We're about 300 yards from the last fibre boadband installation and it's very frustrating for us.

Dunshaughlin Main Street. Image © Google Maps

BRIDGET BENNETT, PRINCIPAL, COMMUNITY COLLEGE

We have 1,075 pupils. Before Covid-19 broke, we had already worked on a programme called Schoolwise  (an education platform for secondary schools to manage teaching and learning). We made it very clear to everybody that even though the school was closed, the work would continue. We have about 100 staff and in fairness to them they have risen to the challenge presented by this crisis. I only know of one or two staff who had to self-isolate.
We have 954 families in the college and of course, every family is different with different challenges and ways of operating. We have to take into account that some students may be looking after parents and supporting them, others will also have young children to contend with, and there may be frontline workers in some families.
There were some difficulties at the start of the crisis when some students found it hard to strike a balance between work and their time off and perhaps other duties. And there is always the problem that they miss the class environment and miss their fellow students.
We don't hold Zoom meetings of staff or anything like that but people are on the phone a lot. This is a very busy time for school management but we all try to get along as best we can and that we all come out of this safe and well. That's the main thing.

PAUL HEALY, OWNER, SUPERVALU

We have the best of staff here, that's the first thing I would say. We have 106 between full-time and part-time. At the beginning there was a huge surge in demand, absolute panic buying for the first three weeks, but now it has settled down a bit.
The main effort was to get supplies replenished. The volume of work was beyond any expectations and the volumes going through the store were huge. Normally, we would see a higher footfall but a smaller spend. With Covid, we saw huge volumes but lower footfall. It looked as if people were determined to cut their visits to the store by buying higher volumes of goods.
We did all the protection measures for staff and customers. I think as the HSE increased its warnings and guidance on protection and distancing, people got the message and fell into line. We don't know where the panic buying on toilet rolls came from. There was never any chance that we would run out. You're right, the Americans rushed to the gun shops, we went for the toilet rolls. We had 30 to 40 pallets of toilet rolls before the Covid thing started. I don't know how many individual toilet rolls that is, but it's an awful lot. We have 2,000 cases in the store.
Things have settled into a certain routine now. We have even divided our management into shifts – three on from 7 to 2 and then three on from 2 to 9. Our delivery system has changed drastically. Before Covid started, we did five deliveries a week. Now we do 500 a week. That helps in a number of ways – it keeps large volumes of people out of the store, and it helps the cocooned and the vulnerable.
We couldn't do any of that without the fantastic volunteers from Dunshaughlin GAA and Royal Gaels. There are a lot of stores closed in town and if I could say one thing to the owners and staff it would be that we will be here for them when this is all over.

ANN POWER, SECRETARY, HILLVIEW RESIDENTS

We have about 50 houses here which were built about 40 years ago and our residents' association is very active. Our Chairperson is Denise Smith and our Treasurer is Louise O'Meara. We are very, very lucky here in that we have a fantastic community spirit, we always look out for one another. There are newer residents here and they have joined up with the association.
The association set up its own Facebook page at the beginning of the crisis so that if anyone needs help, they have phone numbers available to them. I have my husband here, and my daughter and her little son. I know boredom is a big problem for everybody but I think we're coping. I don't go out myself. If I need shopping my daughter does it for me.
Thank God for the phone. Now I'm getting used to the technology. I have grandchildren in Navan and Bellewstown and a son in Waterford but I'm able to do Facetime with them. Then I can get Mass online. If don't get it from Dunshaughlin, I'll get it from Navan, and the other day I got it from Athboy. I feel so, so sorry for anyone who has a bereavement at the moment.

How are you coping in Kells?

COUNCILLOR SEAN DREW

When the virus came in first we didn’t know what was facing us and how serious it would be but as time moved on I think the biggest fear among people was for their health. People worried about loss of social welfare entitlements. One of the biggest lot of enquiries I had was from people who didn’t know whether they were going to remain in their jobs and where their income was going to come from and whether they could pay their bills or put food on the table.
The one thing you could do for them was try to reassure them and point them in the right direction. And then wearing my accountancy cap was had employers and businesses making contact. There were also self-employed people who rang up asking if they would be entitled to payments of any sort so again you tried to give them advice and guide them to the right sources of information.

Kells town with its round tower.

There were also employees who contacted me and explained how they were afraid to go into work, and not so much worrying about themselves but their families. It is also a stressful time for parents of young people. I know people had been giving out about some teenagers gathering around the place but that’s only in a minority of cases. Actually, most parents want to do the right thing. I have also been talking to a number of health workers and they too worry about having to go to work and then rejoining their families in the evening – it is very difficult for therm.
I have a few pals who are men and I try to ring a few of them each morning because I know they are under pressure with social isolation. Normally, people can go to the pub for a drink or go to their locl sports club and mix around. That is all gone and I worry about the mental health of some people who are so unused to what is happening now. I try to go for a walk myself and greet people at a distance. The one thing we are really sorry about is the way funerals have to be conducted. There have been a number of non-Covid funerals in Kells in the last couple of weeks and it is terribly sad to see just 10 people following a hearse into a graveyard. Because of the way we usually conduct funerals in Ireland, when the community comes together to support the bereaved, that must be very hard on families. I feel sorry that we are not able to console people directly.

PETE HAND, CARLANSTOWN KILBEG RESPONSE GROUP

We have 47 volunteers on hand to do whatever is needed in the present situation. The group I am involved with is linked in with the Order of Malta. I set up a web page in 2018 for residents affected by Storm Emma to coordinate assistance and to give information about the storm. However, I decided to keep it open for all urgent and adverse events in the community.  We dealt mainly with getting supplies to farm and for road clearance but when Covid came up we knew that there were high risk people in the community who might need help from us. We liaised with Deputy Peadar Toibin, Cllr Sean Drew and Cllr Paul McCabe and then , of course we linked in with the Meath Food Bank in Trim, the Order of Malta in Kells, the Red Cross in Trim, Meath River Rescue and, of course the Bravo Charlie Tango Bikers group. Our priority is the high risk people, those suffering from cancer, and long-term conditions like COPD and cystic fibrosis.

DAVID CAMPBELL, O’CONNOR’S BAR, FARRELL STREET

I came back from the United States with my family in 2005 after being there for 20 years. I was in two different places in Kells but now I’m in Farrell Street . I closed the pub on 16th March. The previous weekend was a washout, I could see what way things were going. Ub the normal way I’d open at 4pm on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, 1pm on Friday and then the regular hours at the weekend. I have a wife and three kids (the twin boys are doing their Leaving this year). I’d normally have a set routine, I’d be an early riser and I’d be up and down to he pub four or five times a day. Now I’m just walking the dog. I got some relief there when Sky TV cancelled the subscription. The insurance on the pub would be a big issue for me – it costs e9,000 a year and that’s paid in instalments of e800. I have a policy that caters for loss of business but as somebody else said to me lately, don’t hold your breath. I’ve been working since I was a teenager. KI left Ireland at 18. The way I see this crisis, if there’s a re-opening of businesses, the pubs and restaurants will be the last ones to re-open. I think we’re looking at the end of June before anything will happen.

One of Kells' high crosses with the round tower.

MICHAEL GIBNEY, MANAGER,  SUPERVALU 

(PROPRIETOR LARRY O BRIEN ASKED MICHAEL TO SPEAK TO US) 
From the very start of the virus we had to act very quickly. We ordered up protection for the stff and then kit was also  a case of covering up or wrapping certain products like unwrapped brad, and making sure the fish counter was properly protected. We have roughly 90 full and part-time staff and obviously we informed them what was happening and why it was happening and the need for protection. We took advice from Musgraves and the HSE about things we needed to do in the store. I suppose the whole dynamics of the supermarket have changed. In a normal week, before this virus struck, we would be operating efficiently because there is a system to it but with this virus business things were changing from day to day and you had to cope with that . I suppose you’d call it “the new normal”. The online and delivery service has gone through the roof. I’m at home at the minute with my wife Geraldine and children Cathal and Ellen but I keep in touch with the store.

CATHAL MC ENTEE, UNDERTAKER 

We’re into the fifth week of this virus now. This the oldest business in Kells, 121 years. For a long time we didn’t know exactly when kit opened  but then the Meath Chronicle published its Centenary Book in 1997 the actual transaction was there. But there was a further mystery when we read that the business had been founded on St Patrick’s Day and we scratched our heads and said there couldn’t have been a legal transaction on that day. Then of course we realised British rule was in force and St Patrick’s Day wasn’t celebrated with a public holiday. There’s a lot of proper Charlies in the family – my grandfather was Charlie, my father was Charlie, my own name is Charlie in Irish, my son is Charlie and HIS son is Charlie. Yes, there has been an increase in business, unfortunately it’s awful that some people have lost their loved ones to the virus but even with normal funerals, they have to be conducted in accordance with government guidelines. It is very hard for the bereaved, and indeed for us, to cope with all this. The priority is to ensure that  a funeral is conducted with as much respect and dignity as possible, despite the circumstances. The church services are being held in private and all families can do is say that the person’s life will be celebrated at a later date. In non-religious funerals we ensure that they are conducted with the same degree of respect and dignity.

FR JOHN BYRNE, PARISH PRIEST

We have 7,000 parishioners and this is a very strange time for everyone. In normal circumstances we would have the Holy Week ceremonies in public and that will have to be done in a different way this year. We had some funerals but of course we can only have 10 people present in the church. But it’s great to have the internet. We had a funeral lately and relatives in the Arab Emirates and California were able to watch the funeral Mass live. I have to isolate myself because of my age but our curate Fr Sebi is able to look after funerals. Of course, there is a loss of income for the church has fallen but we have our reserves and we can work on that to keep ticking over. I know some parishes would be in difficulty in this regard. But I would also say that people are very generous. We have a bill of insurance coming up for e10,000 but we will be able to cope with that. The main hing is to keep ourselves available 24/7 if people need to talk to us. That is what we are here for. I’m 50 years a priest and I have never seen anything like what we are seeing now. We have daily Mass on the internet at 9.30am but that will go back to 10am next week. Today, Holy Thursday we will broadcast Mass at 5pm and on Good Friday we will have Mass at 3pm. The Saturday Mass will be at 8pm, and  Easter Sunday at 11.30pm. Parishioners can see these Masses on the internet www.kellsparish.ie

How are you coping in Trim?

COUNCILLOR NOEL FRENCH

I think we’re doing OK. We’re managing very well at present. The vast majority of people are obeying the rules, staying at home and social distancing. I think that elderly people are doing quite well as well. I gather from voluntary groups that that there isn’t a lot of people requiring stuff (groceries and fuel etc) – many people are being well looked after by families and friends. It is all a challenge for society and a challenge for us as individuals. I keep saying that we are a strong people and that we will get through this. I don’t work as five-day week. When you’re a councillor it’s 24/7. Some days I turn off from social media because it becomes a bit much but I’, always accessible by phone or email.

Trim Castle is devoid of any visitors during the crisis.

AUDREY MC GUINNESS, TRIM GAA

Two of us are looking after things locally. Kenny Morgan is our main co-ordinator. I have been taking calls from people for help for their needs and we have about 20 volunteers operating each day. We took on the Meals on Wheels, doing the cooking and we have 45 people ready to do the deliveries. There are lots of people willing to do it. We’re also liaising with the smaller shops for some of the needs.

URSULA WINTERS, TRIM TRADERS

I can’t speak for other people but I closed my own shop Nook Home on 15^th March for the safety of my staff and customers and ourselves. I jut felt uneasy and felt I couldn’t continue to open the doors. I had just got in brand new stock – that’s the reality for a lot of small businesses now. You can just imagine what Mother’s Day was like for a lot of businesses. It’s even worse for businesses that don’t have an online presence, they have nothing. If you are online, on Instagram or Facebook at least you can help to keep customers engaged. You can generate some income. Small businesses have the burden of rates, insurance, staff wages, taxes and many of the businesses work from week to week. And of course we’re not forgetting all our cafes, hotels, bars, and restaurants in Trim. These are very tough times for all these business and all our staff waiting at home not knowing when they will return to work. We have about 100 members and we try to update them with information. Mairead Gogan of the Chamber is a great help with administering the group. The voluntary group we have formed among the traders are ready to help in any way we can during this awful time and we look forward to opening the doors of our businesses and welcoming back our friends, customers and tourists to Trim.

Jacinta Jones of Meath Food Bank.

ROBBIE CONNELL, TRIM CELTIC AFC

We have 500 members and we put out an offer to traders and others to help out in any way we can. Donie Quinn taxies has offered us help with deliveries or lifts, or anything lse we want. We only had 1-2 people asking for stuff to be dropped off. We haven’t been inundated. I know the Red Cross are doing great work. Personally, I’m out of  work. I’ve been with Dublin Fire Brigade for 23 years and TaraMines before that. I was diagnosed with prostate cancer last November. I don’t mind talking about it, no. I had surgery in January so I’m self isolating now. My wife Aislin g and myself have six childen and three grandchildren.

PAT LYNCH, LYNCH’S PUB

These are strange times indeed for us all and for those of us steeped in the pub trade these are also worrying times. Lynch’s Pub first opened its doors when Thomas and his wife Rose, my mother and father, bought the current premises from Julia Darby who had run the pub for many years previously. When my parents took over the shop on Emmet Street it served as many things to the community, including as a grocery, hardware and, of course, the Motor Bar. Sadly my father died as a young man in 1945 and my elder brother Michael stepped up to run the business along with my mother. My mother also died when we were very young in 1954 and Michael ran the place until he was forced to close the doors in 1997 following ill-health.  Michael also passed away in 2004 but within a few short years my sons Fergal and Robert reopened the pub and maintained a proud tradition that stretched back over 90 years. Robert still runs the pub and proudly flies the Lynch name over the door while Fergal works full-time with the Meath Chonicle. 

However, like everyone else in the country, my family have been impacted by this coronavirus. The day when it became evident that the only course of action we could take to help prevent the spread of this horrible virus led to our most difficult call – we had to close for the health and safety of our customers, our staff and our families. We, like many of the pubs in the town, made the call to close before we were instructed to do so by the Government. We all recognised the threat and were quickly aware of the only appropriate action. Huge sacrifices had to be made and the toughest of all was letting our wonderful barmen go, albeit temporarily. They will be back and Lynch’s presence on Emmet Street will be maintained. We are blessed to have the finest customers, the most expert staff and a friendly, comfortable and warm environment that is more than “just a pub”. 

We are a refuge from the troubles of the outside world and we appreciate that when all this madness is over we will be needed more than ever and we won’t be found wanting for our community. Now into the third generation of Lynchs to run the Motor Bar, we are hoping to bounce back when this pandemic reaches its conclusion, or is at least contained. Robert has three sons of his own so the line of Lynchs is strong and hopefully one or maybe all will take on the mantle of maintaining a fine tradition in the town of Trim and keep the Motor Bar ticking over for the wonderful people of our proud town.

The Harvest Home Bakery in Trim is closed for the time being.

REV PAUL BOGLE, RECTOR, TRIM ATHBOY UNION OF PARISHES

At the moment, obviously, there are no church services so in terms of keeping the show on the road by keeping in touch with people by phone and email. I’m not around people’s homes because people are isolated or cocooned. People seem to be getting help and there is some great work going on in the community. I have 150 families spread over a pretty wide area. It’s a struggle but anything we have done before this must be done now in a different way. I can’t go door to door but I will answer a call in an emergency. Obviously, I can’t go into nursing homes to meet parishoners but I keep in touch with them through their families. I’m 63 and staying put in the house because we have an elderly relative who is vulnerable living with us but we have an online service. The technology has certainly helped in this situation. Our website is trimandathboy.com and we put up a weekly reflection.

The streets of Trim are quiet at present.