Covid-19: Coveney found out about Nphet level 5 recommendation from 9pm news

Minister for Foreign Affairs Trade Simon Coveney. Photo credit: Tom Honan/PA Wire

Simon Coveney says the first he heard about Nphet's Level 5 recommendation on Sunday was on the news.

The Minister for Foreign Affairs and Fine Gael deputy leader told Morning Ireland that despite a number of conversations between the chief medical officer (CMO) Dr Tony Holohan and Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly over the weekend, he heard that Nphet had recommended a Level 5 lockdown for the entire country on RTÉ at 9pm.