Oonagh Smyth

Prime Time

Collective mourning is a central part of Irish culture

Covid-19 funeral restrictions: Saying goodbye is harder

Current public health restrictions have severely diminished the traditions and rituals that we use to say goodbye to our loved ones, reports Prime Time's Oonagh Smyth.

Prime Time • 03 Mar 21

Covid-19 visiting restrictions mean that being admitted to hospital has taken on a new dimension

Covid-19: Ambulance staff on the 'intense' frontline

The third wave of Covid-19 has put paramedics across the country under a level of pressure that they've never experienced before, reports Prime Time's Oonagh Smyth.

Prime Time • 05 Feb 21

A HIQA inspection found shortcomings in compliance with key regulations at Silvergrove nursing home

HIQA report found issues at Covid-hit Silvergrove nursing home

Residents at the Co Meath nursing home were severely affected by Covid-19 at the height of the crisis.

Prime Time • 24 Nov 20

Dealgan House nursing home in Louth battled a severe Covid-19 outbreak

Inspection found issues at Covid-hit Dealgan House nursing home

The regulator found that Dealgan House was non-compliant with seven key statutory regulations, including staffing, management and infection control.

Prime Time • 30 Oct 20

Critical Staff Shortages as Nursing Home Battled Covid Tragedy

Features • 12 Oct 20

Nursing homes: The forgotten frontline of the pandemic

Nearly 1,000 residents of nursing homes died from Covid-19. Prime Time reporter Oonagh Smyth speaks to the staff, managers, experts and relatives who had to deal with the toll the virus inflicted.

Prime Time • 16 Jul 20

The 25 boxes of files were reviewed by a child protection expert

Scouting Ireland files released from former Senior Scout's home

A large volume of previously undiscovered files held at the home of a former senior member of the Catholic Boy Scouts of Ireland (CBSI) were released to Scouting Ireland in February this year.

Prime Time • 26 May 20

The report found abuse occurred at the highest levels of Scouting Ireland over decades

Scouting report finds cover-up and culture of secrecy

Scouting Ireland's commissioned report on past cases of sexual abuse, while strong in its recommendations, confines its detail to a very small number of actual abuse cases.

Ireland • 14 May 20

Oakdale nursing home is down six nurses and 28 staff

HSE deploys nurses to Offaly nursing home

The Health Service Executive has agreed to deploy HSE nurses to a nursing home in Portarlington Co Offaly after it pleaded for help to deal with critical staff shortages as it battled a Covid-19 outbreak.

Coronavirus • 29 Apr 20

RTÉ News understands that some new deliveries of PPE distributed this week contained protective gowns which are three-quarter length on the arm

Some new PPE 'not fit for purpose' - medical staff

Part of the consignment of Personal Protective Equipment which was recently distributed to Covid-19 test centres, mobile ambulance units and hospitals is being described as "not fit for purpose" and "unusable" by medical staff.

Coronavirus • 03 Apr 20