Plans for Ireland’s COVID-19 Inquiry are set to be published before the return of the Dáil this September.
Tánaiste Micheál Martin says he ‘regrets’ that it hasn’t been established before now - admitting the time to do so is winding down before the end of the current Government.
Government leaders have stressed in the past that it should be an evaluation exercise rather than an inquiry which points the finger of blame at individuals.
Speaking in Africa the Tánaiste says the inquiry should have a broad scope.
"I regret that we haven't brought this to conclusion, I think we should bring it to conclusion shortly," he said.
"I think it's very important to evaluate; there's been some evaluation from a public health perspective but I've no issue with evaluating how we did.
"It's not so much how we did that's important, a lot of people suffered, but also having a broad look at it from a societal point of view: the economic interventions, the public health, the structure we used and can we do better the next time if another pandemic hit us?"
On a timeframe he said it would have to be set up "before this Government comes to a conclusion - so I'd like to have it done certainly before the autumn restart."
Hearings
Mr Martin said he would not be in favour of public hearings, similar to those in the UK.
"I would avoid the legal, adversarial nature of the British inquiry, he said.
"I'm not too sure that's shedding as much light on the subject as rather it's creating moments of great drama but whether its shedding light on performance during COVID I'm not sure".
Mr Martin said the inquiry "could be a panel of people" with an independent chair.
"It would be public sessions but not in the classic 'tribunal of inquiry mode'", he said.
"I think the danger with the other inquiry type model is that you'll get people being too cautious in a future crisis.
"The worst thing you could be possibly have in the middle of a crisis is someone saying, 'How's this decision going to look in two years' time when there's an inquiry?'
"The worst thing you need in a crisis is people ticking boxes and protecting themselves".
Former head of the HSE Paul Reid has previously said Ireland owes a COVID-19 Inquiry to the “people who have lost their lives”.
