Date set for inquest into Mayo boy's death following Covid vaccine

A coroner has today fixed July 18 for the opening of an inquest into the death of a 14-year-old schoolboy from Achill Island who died in August 2021 three weeks after receiving the Pfizer Covid 19 vaccine.

The untimely death of Joseph McGinty, The Valley, Achill has previously been described by the Coroner for Mayo, Patrick O’Connor as “a matter of significant public concern."

At a preliminary inquest hearing today, Coroner O’Connor stressed that the forthcoming inquest would not be a public inquiry into the administration of the Covid vaccine but an inquiry in public into the death of a young man, as all coroners’ inquests are.

The coroner made it clear that it was open to the various parties representing those involved in the inquest to commission whatever independent expert reports they wished but those reports would not form part of evidence.

“I do not want any independent reports other than the Pfizer report," Mr. O’Connor stated.

The coroner indicated that for the full hearing into Master McGinty’s death he has asked Dr. Breda Smyth, Chief Medical Officer, Department of Health, Dr. Karina Butler, Chairperson of the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC) and Anne Tobin,. Pharmacovigilance Manager, Health Products Regulatory Authority, or their nominees to attend.

Roddy Bourke (McCann Fitzgerald, Dublin) told today’s preliminary hearing that Dr. Gillian Ellsbury, Consultant Medical Scientist with Pfizer, will give evidence at the forthcoming inquest.

Barrister Rita Kilroy (instructed by Lavelle Bourke Solicitor, Achill), is representing the family of the deceased while Padraic Brennan (RDJ Solicitors) is representing Mayo University Hospital and its medical staff.