Maria Stynes

[Maria Stynes @StynesMaria]

@CareChampions2 This is powerful xx

[Care Champions Ireland @CareChampions2]

The advocacy group Care Champions said that today's proceedings have strengthened its demand for a full statutory inquiry.

It said the testimonies from the experts exposed fatal systemic gaps.

It said that without statutory powers, the Evaluation can not compel evidence or demand the whole truth.

It also said that while it acknowledged the medical experts who spoke today, the most vital voices remain silenced - the older people and families who were failed.

#CovidInquiry

https://t.co/ibx3k9nYof

[RTÉ News @rtenews]

Communities were not trusted enough during the pandemic to manage their own risks, a former World Health Organisation chief told Ireland's Covid-19 Evaluation today
https://t.co/uIqjT3FivS

[Care Champions Ireland @CareChampions2]

See this Instagram post by @niamhgriffinstories https://t.co/XR6l7Wqteh

[Care Champions Ireland @CareChampions2]

6 years have passed, yet the air is still thin,

Outside these walls where the silence crept in.

We stand in the shadow of stone and of state,

To speak for the lives left to shadows and fate.

For the mothers and fathers who reached for a hand,

In the quietest corners of this grieving land.

For the brothers and sisters, the brave and the dear,

Who faced the great darkness while no one was near.

Behind closed doors, where the world couldn't see,

The cost of the choices, the cold decree.

You died in the stillness, you died in the care

That promised a safety that simply wasn't there.

They talk of the lessons, they speak of the past, While the same hollow echoes are currently cast.

For those suffering now, in the ways you once did,

The truth of your struggle remains largely hid.

But we are the memory, we are the flame,

And we will not be silent or soft with your name.

To the ones who were failed, and the ones failed today

You mattered back then, and you matter always.

We love you, we miss you, through anger and tears,

We carry your fight through the length of the years.

[Care Champions Ireland @CareChampions2]

Ann Kennedy, author of Unprotected, shares a powerful message on the reality of aging in Ireland, challenging us to replace the 'monochrome of neglect' with the explosive colours of change. A lifelong advocate with an indefatigable spirit, Ann reminds us that speaking our truth is the first step toward reclaiming our power.

#CareChampions #Safeguarding #HomeCare #AgeWithDignity

[Mick Caul @caulmick]

The support group Care Champions Ireland [@CareChampions2]
is demanding full accountability and an independent statutory public inquiry.

Chairperson Majella Beattie [@Majellabeattie1 ] said that people affected feel they are not being heard or seen and that loved ones who died were not statistics.

https://t.co/CJNYN8bpsi

[Care Champions Ireland @CareChampions2]

Lorraine Lamb honouring her mother yesterday Jean Lamb rip, who was failed in Cavan hospital in 2023. Jean sadly passed away due to miscommunication and not reading notes.

#MedicalMisadventure #JeanLamb #CareChampions #HumanRightsDoNotGrowOld #Transparency #Accountability

[Care Champions Ireland @CareChampions2]

The failures in care during the pandemic did not happen in a vacuum; they exposed a system that was already broken. These lapses existed long before the crisis, spiked during the pandemic, and continue to persist today.

A closed-door, non-obligatory review is simply insufficient. Our families will never stop campaigning for a formal COVID-19 Inquiry. We demand that these failures be exposed and meaningful reforms implemented. In memory of the beautiful people who deserved person-centered care, we must build a system that is truly fit for purpose.

#CovidInquiry #HumanRightsDoNotGrowOld #CareChampions

[Care Champions Ireland @CareChampions2]

This is the reality behind the 'claps on the back' for carers. 14 years of love, 14 years of joy with Alex, but 14 years of exhausting, relentless battles for the basic support every child with a disability deserves. From 'postcode lotteries' for equipment to the cold bureaucracy that follows a bereavement, this speech is a call for dignity, not platitudes. We don't want to be called 'heroes' we want to be treated with respect. Please listen, share, and help us make sure no other family is made to feel like a beggar in their own country.

#RipAlex #MaggieButler #Carers #costOfLiving #CareChampions

[Care Champions Ireland @CareChampions2]

The harm in our care system is not a legacy issue. It is a current reality.

Yesterday, Care Champions delivered a clear roadmap for reform to our political representatives. For six years, we have advocated for the same fundamental changes. As we move through 2026, it is unacceptable that our most vulnerable citizens still face a system that lacks independent safeguarding and legal recognition for care partners.

Our 5 Key Asks represent a strategic blueprint to restore public confidence and align Irish care with international human rights standards and best practice.

"We are all growing older; this is the system we will all eventually face."

It is time to move beyond a Covid evaluation that aren't fit for purpose and toward a statutory framework that ensures dignity for all.

#PolicyChange #Advocacy #HumanRights #OlderPersonsCare #DisabilityRights #CareChampions #HumanRightsDoNotGrowOld #Covidinquiry

[Joe Behan @joebehan]

Thank you to you @CMHaughey for your unwavering support for the work of @CareChampions2 and the people of Ireland. You are a beacon of light in the darkness of ignorance shown by this dreadful Government.

[Care Champions Ireland @CareChampions2]

Thank you Peadar for your consistent support.

[Care Champions Ireland @CareChampions2]

If only we had more @joebehan's. Thank you Joe, your support is very much appreciated

[Care Champions Ireland @CareChampions2]

Joanne shared that her mother was their everything. As a family, they were her safety, her calm, and her advocates. When she moved into care, they trusted the system to protect her. Instead, they were met with closed doors and a lack of transparency that haunts us today.

From a missed sepsis diagnosis to being excluded from the hospital during her final moments due to visitor bans and then finding inaccuracies in her medical records the pain of what she went through alone is unbearable for the family.

Joanne spoke out not just for her mother, but for every vulnerable patient and every family who deserves the truth. We need a legal right to be there for our loved ones.

#CarePartnerLaw #HealthTransparency #HumanRightsDoNotGrowOld #CareChampions

[Care Champions Ireland @CareChampions2]

A Heartfelt Thank You Following Our Event at Leinster House

We would like to extend our sincere gratitude to Deputy Colm Burke for hosting us yesterday. We are currently finalizing a full list of the representatives in attendance and will share a follow-up post in coming days to acknowledge them all.

Beyond the Leinster House political sphere, a special thanks goes to Cllr Joe Behan, Caoimhe Haughey, and Mick Caul who consistently shows up for families when it matters most.

This event wouldn't have been possible without our incredible team:

Especially Angela, whose extraordinary hard work was the engine behind yesterday’s success.

Aya, for her dedicated work on our slides and website; and Zoe, for her brilliant videography and photography.

The marketing students from Infuse; Hugh Ahearn for his assistance; and Bríd Smith for providing the sound system.

Kieran, a true backbone of Care Champions who always goes above and beyond; and Maria, for sharing her amazing voice with us.

We were honored to be joined by our expert speakers: Dr. Sarah Robinson, Prof. Mary Rogan, and Ms. Dimitra Xidous. Most importantly, thank you to the families who shared their powerful testimony: Ann Kennedy, Maggie Butler, Lorraine Lamb, and Joanne Reid.
To the staff who spoke for the first time in AV room

We are taking a moment to recover, but keep an eye on your inbox. we aim to circulate emails and slides in coming days. It’s a busy weekend ahead, with Care Champions attending two events this Saturday. Details to follow!

#CareChampions #Safeguarding #CareChampions #CarePartner #HumanRightsDoNotGrowOld #BuildingDesign @ColmBurkeTD
@CMHaughey @caulmick @joebehan

[Maria Stynes @StynesMaria]

@joebehan Hope you are well Joe. Xx

[Joe Behan @joebehan]

Care Champions, a magnificent group of people, are holding a Day of Memory and Action in front of Dáil Éireann next Tuesday, March 3rd, at 11.00 am. I will be there to support them. Please come along if you can. Thanks.

[Maria Stynes @StynesMaria]

@CareChampions2 Come join us!

[Care Champions Ireland @CareChampions2]

Care Champions will be holding a memorial and demonstration at Leinster House to mark the six years since our care facilities first went into lockdown. To honour those affected and advocate for those still in the system.
We invite you to join us
Memorial & Reflection: 11:00AM on Kildare st
AV Room Briefing: 1:00pm (If interested in joining, please send us a message, spaces limited)

We will be sharing powerful testimonies and up tovdate data highlighting the urgent need for a statutory COVID inquiry, Care Partner legislation, and proper safeguarding laws.

#HumanRightsDoNotGrowOld #CovidInquiry #SafeguardinglawsNow