Danny Healy-Rae claims PPE bought from China was given by Italy

Kerry TD calls for international investigation into how Covid-19 started in Wuhan

Independent TD Danny Healy-Rae has called for the United Nations to establish an international investigation into how coronavirus started in China.

Saying that people “are entitled to the truth” the Kerry TD also said the Government should not buy any more equipment from the Chinese “until we know what’s the truth”.

He claimed the virus was in China long before January 20th and he alleged “some of the personal protective equipment, PPE, that we paid for, and went out of its way to publicly thank them for, was given to them by the Italians in early December.

“I am asking the Government not to buy another bottle to contain this virus from the Chinese until we know what’s the truth.”

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Mr Healy-Rae asked Taoiseach Leo Varadkar: "Why are we not calling for an investigation into how and when this virus actually began in China?

“Is it the case that they don’t want to know?

“I can tell the that all those who have lost loved ones to this deadly disease would like to know and be told the truth. And they can’t touch, embrace or talk to their loved ones who are gone forever.”

Mr Healy-Rae said “I am calling on the United Nations to carry out an international investigation into what happened because we need to know. If they’re culpable for anything, or whoever it is, they will have a job in compensating the world.

“They’ll never compensate for the people that have died but they should be made to compensate for the money that countries around the world have lost and none more so than Ireland.”

Marie O'Halloran

Marie O'Halloran

Marie O'Halloran is Parliamentary Correspondent of The Irish Times