Carlow Kilkenny TD wants to chair new Covid-19 Dáil Committee

Local TD John McGuinness is among the candidates looking to be chairman of the new Oireachtas Covid-19 committee which meets for the first time today.

The 19 members will aim to scrutinise the actions of Government and other authorities in dealing with the pandemic.

A programme of work will be established today and a chairperson elected.

The Chief Medical Officer and the Health Minister are expected to be among the first witnesses called in the coming weeks.

Deputy McGuinness says greater oversight of the crisis is needed.

“This committee was agreed by the Oireachtas and has been put in place while we are waiting for a Government to be formed”.

He says today is “the first step” in trying to provide that transparency that’s not there at present.