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IRELAND is heading for a total lockdown after Leo Varadkar sensationally admitted that a “circuit breaker” may still occur, despite rejecting NPHET’s Level Five advice.
The Tanaiste admitted with surprise at a meeting of the Fine Gael parliamentary party on Tuesday night.
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Sources present at the meeting revealed that a short and sharp lockdown, as recently discussed in Northern Ireland, can still occur if Ireland is unable to control Covid-19.
Varadkar admitted that cases will continue to increase for the next two weeks and beyond, even at Level Three, but that Ireland was not yet in a position to return to lockdown.
Reports suggested that on two occasions, Varadkar did not rule out the possibility of a circuit interruption at some point to control the virus, although it was not foreseen in the government’s “Living with Covid” plan.
A source said: “It could still happen. It’s not off the table. “
It came after Varadkar launched a shock attack on NPHET on Monday, in which he claimed that Dr. Tony Holohan’s recommendation that the entire country should move to Level Five “was not well thought out.”
The Dail heard yesterday how the government’s decision to challenge the medical director’s advice will backfire and result in a level five lockdown by Christmas.
VARADKAR’S ATTACK
Dr. Holohan had written to the government on Sunday with his recommendations, but, for the first time in the Covid-19 pandemic, the government decided to go against public health advice and instead opted for a level lockdown. three smoother, starting today.
The Fine Gael leader said the events of the past two days were “not good for NPHET” and stated that the HSE disagreed with the CMO’s view that Ireland’s hospital capacity was at risk from the recent surge in cases. .
Leo Varadkar’s attack on NPHET divided the Dail yesterday with some politicians claiming that the Tanaiste was out of place, while others said he was “absolutely right” in his criticism of Ireland’s leading public health experts.
Co-leader of the Social Democrats Roisin Shorthall criticized the Tanaiste for its “misguided” and “unjustified” attack on Ireland’s leading public health experts.
‘SERIOUS DISTRACTION’
She said: “I think last night’s interview with the Tanaiste was particularly disappointing.
“The attack on NPHET and Tony Holohan, in particular, was unwarranted, pointless and I think it served as a serious distraction from the task at hand, which is to encourage all of us to work together to suppress this virus.”
Congressman Shorthall also questioned why all counties in the country had to have the same level of restrictions even though some places like Kerry and Mayo have low levels of the virus.
Social Democratic co-leader Catherine Murphy accused the Tanaiste of undermining NPHET, saying, “It’s not about handbags, it’s about public health first.”
Sinn Fein also set foot on Leo Varadkar for his comments on NPHET with Mary Lou McDonald claiming she was “alarmed by the aggressive” attack.
The party’s health spokesman, David Cullinane, said: “I hope the relationship between NPHET and the government is repairable because I don’t think it serves a useful purpose that we have a split between the government and officials.
‘DO THE SENSITIVE’
“I think he undoubtedly got hurt on the back of Tanaiste’s comments and I think he has to take responsibility for that.”
However, independent TD Micheal Healy Rae came to Tanaiste’s defense and said it was “a great thing” that the Fine Gael frontman spoke his mind at NPHET.
Kerry’s TD said: “In fact, I would congratulate the Tanaiste for saying what he said last night because someone in the position had to say that he is in government.
“We need some higher-ranking people in government to come out and question. We are not implying that we should go on blindly.
“In other words, if NPHET tells us we have to be upside down for ten hours, then we will, no, we should do what is sensible, what is right, but we will not blindly follow what we are doing. dictated to “.
The Kerry TD also claimed that it was unfair that counties like Kingdom, Sligo, and Mayo were forced to level three despite having low Covid cases.
‘ROUND OF LOCKDOWN’
Cork TD Micheal Collins said that he believes the NPHET level five recommendation was a strategy to scare people in order to facilitate acceptance of the level three restrictions.
Solidarity TD Paul Murphy claimed the Government was wrong to go against NPHET’s advice and said Ireland could now face a level five lockdown by Christmas.
He told the Dail, “In my opinion, focus will not prevent going to level five. It will simply mean going to level five later and longer, potentially at Christmas, after lives have been lost in nursing homes and in the community.
“And then we will continue in a partial closing and reopening roundabout and we need to have a discussion about removing community broadcasting by Christmas.”
Taoiseach Micheal Martin told the Dail that Ireland needs unity on all fronts to overcome the pandemic.
He said: “What is essential in dealing with a pandemic of this magnitude and severity is unity of purpose on all fronts, including within this house.”
DEFENSE OF THE MINISTER OF HEALTH
Later, the Taoiseach proposed a special Dail session for Friday, where the Government will discuss with TDs its decision to go against NPHET’s advice for the level five lockdown.
The medical director, Dr. Tony Holohan, was seen entering government buildings yesterday afternoon, but government sources say he was not there to meet with the Taoiseach or Tanaiste.
The Irish Sun understands that Tanaiste Leo Varadkar objects to his comments about the NPHET and does not plan to retract.
Justice Minister Helen McEntee said yesterday that the Government has full confidence in the Medical Director and NPHET.
Health Minister Stephen Donnelly also defended the government’s decision to reject NPHET’s advice from level five and opt for level three.
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He said: “We take advice very seriously. Going from Level 2 to Level 3 is in itself very serious.
“We have seen what happened in Kildare, Laois and Offaly. That was a step to Level 3. Thanks to the work of the communities in those three counties, it worked.
“The figures have stabilized in Dublin going to level 3. We do not believe that the data have changed between Thursday and Sunday to a level that justifies a move from level 2 to level 5.”
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