No suggestion Nphet is being gagged - Taoiseach

Ministers 'uneasy' about leaks to the media, says Michael McGrath 

Nphet members Dr Cillian De Gascun, Director of the National Virus Reference Laboratory, Dr Colm Henry, Chief Clinical Officer HSE, Dr Tony Holohan, Chief Medical Officer and Dr Ronan Glynn, Deputy Chief Medical Officer at a press briefing. File picture: Sasko Lazarov/RollingNews.ie

Government ministers were “uneasy” that recommendations to reintroduce Covid-19 restrictions were leaked to the media before Cabinet ministers had them, Minister Michael McGrath has said.

Mr McGrath, who is the minister for public expenditure, was speaking after a weekend of media reports of considerable strain in the relationship between Cabinet and the National Public Health Emergency Team.