TDs divided over Leo Varadkar's attack on Nphet

Tanaiste Leo Varadkar with Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan in the early days of the pandemic. Picture: Sam Boal/Rollingnews.ie

Tánaiste Leo Varadkar's comments represent "a large feeling" among Fine Gael TDs and voters, although Fianna Fáil TDs believe that he "took the spotlight" last night.

Sources say that while both parties believed that a move to level 5 of the restriction framework — as recommended by the National Public Health Emergency Team (Nphet) — would have been too severe, Fine Gael members are most in support of Mr Varadkar's subsequent attack on it.