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File image of Health Minister Stephen Donnelly. Sasko Lazarov

CMO and Health Minister discussed possibility of moving to Level 4 before Level 5 recommendation

Stephen Donnelly issued a statement in the Dáil this evening to clarify the timeline last weekend.

THE CHIEF MEDICAL Officer Dr Tony Holohan and the Health Minister Stephen Donnelly spoke on the phone about the possibility of moving the country to Level 4 ahead of NPHET’s Level 5 recommendation on Sunday. 

Donnelly made a statement in the Dáil this evening to clarify the sequence of events prior to NPHET’s recommendation. 

Government rejected this recommendation, instead putting the entire country under Level 3 restrictions.

The minister said the government did not believe the conditions and framework had been met for moving into Level 5. 

Donnelly clarified the timeline of events over the weekend:

  • Minister receives a text from the CMO at lunchtime on Saturday to say NPHET will meet the following day. Donnelly texts the Taoiseach to inform him of this. 
  • On Sunday morning, Donnelly texts the CMO and they speak on the phone. They discuss the current situation with the disease and the possibility of moving the country to Level 4 restrictions. 
  • Donnelly contacts the Taoiseach after this. 
  • NPHET meet on Sunday afternoon and decide to make a Level 5 recommendation. 
  • At 7pm on Sunday, Donnelly has a video call with the CMO, the deputy CMO Dr Ronan Glynn and the Secretary General Martin Fraser. They are informed of the Level 5 recommendation. 
  • The Taoiseach is then informed of the recommendation. 
  • A Cabinet Covid sub-committee meeting is held at noon on Monday to discuss. 

Several opposition TDs had been calling for Donnelly to issue a statement on the events surrounding the recommendation at the weekend. 

Donnelly said this evening that the decision by government was “not made lightly” and added that he is “acutely aware of the cost of these decisions”. 

This afternoon, the Taoiseach Micheál Martin said he has full confidence in the health minister.

Asked about the controversy of who might have leaked the information regarding the Level 5 recommendation on Sunday, Martin said it wasn’t Donnelly. 

“In terms of the situation on Sunday evening… I don’t know who leaked that, but clearly, it is large body [NPHET] and I certainly can’t say, one way or the other who leaked, but it certainly wasn’t Stephen Donnelly,” he said.

Tánaiste Leo Varadkar told RTÉ’s Claire Byrne Live on Monday night that NPHET’s recommendation “came out of the blue” and no one in the government knew Level 5 was being contemplated until Sunday.

Speaking in the Dáil this afternoon, Varadkar reiterated that the recommendation to go to Level 5 was a shock to the government, saying there was “no inkling” this would be the advice.

However, he said he has since spoken to Holohan and they “cleared the air”.

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48 Comments
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    Mute Fr.Todd Unctious
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    Oct 8th 2020, 8:15 PM

    Who cares ? Media making something out of nothing.

    562
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    Mute Leonard Barry
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    Oct 8th 2020, 8:28 PM

    @Fr.Todd Unctious: Your perfectly right, the standard of media we have in this country be it print, radio or TV is woeful.

    301
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    Mute Thomas Quinn
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    Oct 8th 2020, 8:32 PM

    @Leonard Barry: It’s not the media. The standard if news is just not as good as other countries thank God. Less murders, crime, plots, corruption, scandals etc. We get in a tizzy over a golf dinner and a leaked bit of advice. That’s why we are a great little island. We don’t have half the problems of other nations I’ve lived in.

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    Mute Lotta Rossler
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    Oct 8th 2020, 8:38 PM

    @Thomas Quinn: yes, absolutely agree. I’m from Germany, and its horrendous how you’re always bombarded with news, no matter how awful they are, full-on with pictures and videos etc. For my mental health, I had to make the decision to consciously not watching the news anymore. I quite enjoy the Irish level of coverage!

    43
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    Mute Niall Buckley
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    Oct 8th 2020, 8:47 PM

    @Thomas Quinn: 100% agree. Much ado about nothing

    41
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    Mute Doug Leddin
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    Oct 8th 2020, 8:59 PM

    @Leonard Barry: says guy reading and commenting on said media

    20
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    Mute Olivia Smith
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    Oct 8th 2020, 9:27 PM

    @Doug Leddin: Lol. You owned him

    4
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    Mute Bananaquit
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    Oct 8th 2020, 10:32 PM

    @Fr.Todd Unctious: yeah exactly, media and opposition trying to hammer Donnelly for knowing about the level 5 recommendation an hour before the rest of us. So what.

    17
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    Mute Sue Kelly
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    Oct 9th 2020, 1:53 AM

    @Fr.Todd Unctious: it terrifies my elderly parent and that leak had them shaking. So yes the leak is a massive deal.

    5
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    Mute Alice Gervin
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    Oct 9th 2020, 7:35 AM

    @Sue Kelly: But the letter from the CMO on recommendations is always printed on the gov.ie site, so whether it was leaked or not in advance if it being published, the information was still going to be available for all to see!

    Just goes to show after all Leo said, Donnelly and Martin did know the recommendations straight after the NPHET’s meeting!!! Leo was just stirring the pot!!! He won me over at the start of the pandemic but I’m back to my original opinion of him!!

    9
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    Mute Donal Desmond
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    Oct 9th 2020, 10:20 AM

    @Bananaquit: Transparency..Donnelly Varadkar,Martin stated this was a bolt out of the blue.. They lied..The mantra at the moment from this three ring circus.

    2
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    Mute Donal Desmond
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    Oct 9th 2020, 10:28 AM

    @Thomas Quinn: The tizzy over the golf dinner.? The likes of Jerry Buttimer who resigned has already been appointed to Oireachtas committes, the likes of Hogan resigned with his pensions. Brian Hayes who disappeared with his unnamed guests suddenly reappears at meeting with government ministers concerning mortgages repayments in reguard to the pandemic. Hayes represented the banks. A judge who allegedly did not know the rules and seems to be as arragont as Hogan. The mafia must be in awe of them.

    2
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    Mute Colin O'Mahony
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    Oct 8th 2020, 8:27 PM

    Every year there is apparently a spike in Cold and Flu cases within weeks of kids going back to school. Why is this not being spoken about in relation the current Covid spike. There’s no point in going to level 4 or 5 if the schools are still open in my opinion.

    214
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    Mute devotional
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    Oct 8th 2020, 8:57 PM

    @Colin O’Mahony: they want schools open and pretty much everything else closed .
    I feel sorry for restaurants who essentially will fold

    128
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    Mute Thomas Quinn
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    Oct 8th 2020, 8:13 PM

    So nothing was out of the blue…….

    182
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    Mute Canyon
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    Oct 8th 2020, 9:24 PM

    @Thomas Quinn: Leo is all about Leo.

    94
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    Mute Bananaquit
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    Oct 8th 2020, 10:30 PM

    @Thomas Quinn: well it was out of the blue because Donnelly thought they were going to recommend level 4 until 7pm on Sunday night when they told him it was level 5. An hour and a half before the rest of the country knew. I’d consider that out of the blue.

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    Mute Canyon
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    Oct 8th 2020, 11:12 PM

    @Bananaquit: once your told anything for the first time it’s out of the blue.

    9
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    Mute Handsome McWonderful
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    Oct 8th 2020, 8:14 PM

    And why wasn’t this information made available to the public from the start?

    121
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    Mute Gareth Keenan
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    Oct 8th 2020, 8:43 PM

    @Handsome McWonderful: Do you really care? So much more important stuff going on than this non story

    65
    Ed
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    Mute Ed
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    Oct 8th 2020, 9:03 PM

    @Gareth Keenan: Why all the secrecy for such a non story?

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    Mute Marcus Kittel
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    Oct 8th 2020, 11:36 PM

    @Gareth Keenan: future Taoiseach lies on national television and in so doing undermines the very public health committee he set up to advise government? You think that’s all just okay and tomorrow we can wake up and talk about our cornflakes? Interesting take on it … an alternative take would be to hold the highest position in the country to account for misleading the country. But I guess sweeping it under the carpet is the best way to deal with it, I mean why should we question any other decisions made then and just let them do whatever they want in government …

    19
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    Mute N Feirtèir
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    Oct 8th 2020, 8:29 PM

    Really have no faith this health minister.
    He is completely out of his depth and the worst guy to have in that position during a crisis.

    153
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    Mute Badger the witness
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    Oct 8th 2020, 9:41 PM

    @N Feirtèir: While I also have no faith in him, I can’t name a better health minister we have had in living memory.

    34
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    Mute Joan Featherstone
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    Oct 8th 2020, 9:38 PM

    Shut the F up with the Covid articles, I’ve totally had my fill of it over the last seven months, it’s 24/7 and not just on the journal, we all know the wash your hands, social distancing thing etc etc and I’m still doing my bit but it’s beyond head wrecking at this stage and doesn’t seem to be having the required effect…

    80
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    Mute Rob Foley
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    Oct 8th 2020, 8:31 PM

    What’s the point of this article?

    57
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    Mute lyndon
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    Oct 8th 2020, 9:39 PM

    There seem to be a few people commenting here who doubt the importance of this story, so let me spell it out for you. If someone within the government leaked this, then their dedication to their own Covid strategy can be called into question. This is the same Covid strategy which is forcing real life hardships on families all over the country.

    54
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    Mute The Red Devil
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    Oct 8th 2020, 8:51 PM

    This needs to stop now – media driving it, opposition trying to score points – crowd of clowns seriously get on the same page or leave – people are dying Covid is getting worse – we need as a country to all be on the same page

    87
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    Mute tirnanog1979
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    Oct 8th 2020, 9:57 PM

    Leo The Leaker Varadkar

    49
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    Mute Nuala Mc Namara
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    Oct 8th 2020, 8:46 PM

    So before the emergency NPHET meeting on Sunday,CMO spoke to Minister for Health re concerns plus mentioned Level 4 and Minister just mentioned in Dail that he told Taoiseach this!
    After that meeting,CMO “spoke in length” to Minister for Health according to the Minister.Minister again informed Taoiseach re meeting.
    Later he also wrote a detailed letter to Minister for Health cc to Department of Taoiseach.

    43
    Ed
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    Mute Ed
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    Oct 8th 2020, 8:26 PM

    I think the ministers pants are on fire

    56
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    Mute Eileen O'Sullivan
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    Oct 8th 2020, 8:31 PM

    Mickey Mouse Martin will be remembered as the granny killer.

    53
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    Mute Mattress Dick
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    Oct 8th 2020, 9:52 PM

    @Eileen O’Sullivan: claptrap! The covidiots who won’t obey the guidelines are the killers

    33
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    Mute Teresa O'Halloran
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    Oct 8th 2020, 10:45 PM

    @Eileen O’Sullivan: What a nasty comment. Degrading to all elderly people.

    20
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    Mute Fachtna Roe
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    Oct 8th 2020, 11:47 PM

    @Teresa O’Halloran: And mice. You forgot the mice!

    2
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    Mute Bananaquit
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    Oct 9th 2020, 12:14 AM

    @Eileen O’Sullivan: the government are damned no matter what they do.

    4
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    Mute James Fox
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    Oct 8th 2020, 8:53 PM

    The media are hanging for a row between nphet and the government. Sick of them.

    63
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    Mute Donal Hogan
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    Oct 8th 2020, 10:25 PM

    Close everything and everyone live off the covid payment accept public sector workers offcourse they can stay on full pay and benefits. Close all hospitals accept for covid treatment, close all schools and we can beat this thing in 5 to 10 years.

    26
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    Mute Karen Delaney
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    Oct 8th 2020, 10:31 PM

    I think most of the country have a fair idea who read it. The same person who has been undermining the government since they took office. Now let me be clear I have no allegiance to any political party I think they’re all as bad as each other.

    28
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    Mute Tom Bombdadil
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    Oct 8th 2020, 8:55 PM

    Smells like, sniff sniff, sheep no sniff sniff no, cows, no it’s more like bull yes that’s it bullsheedo

    30
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    Mute Olivia Smith
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    Oct 8th 2020, 9:32 PM

    @Tom Bombdadil: And what you spew smells like s@it. Looks like @shi te and is s@ite

    6
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    Mute Tom Bombdadil
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    Oct 9th 2020, 6:06 PM

    @Olivia Smith: nice to know Karen like to eat @sh ite! You have a swell day now ya here! Much love.

    1
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    Mute William Lyones
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    Oct 9th 2020, 8:20 AM

    What’s the point? I was in Gorey yesterday, my own county, sticking to the rules and what do I see in the Tesco car park? Six NI regd cars and two British regd.
    The North with the highest rate of infection since God was a boy, yet there they were.
    So what’s the point in sticking to your own county, when people can travel from the North, it’s not as if we are on the border counties. Two of said cars, had roof boxes, ready for a few days.
    Come on folks, summer is over, respect the rules and the locals, stay home please.

    15
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    Mute Damien McGrath
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    Oct 8th 2020, 10:33 PM

    Donnelly not up to it.martin cant explain it,…

    13
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    Mute Úna O Connor Barrett
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    Oct 9th 2020, 12:44 AM

    Health minister who jumps from ship to ship.

    8
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    Mute Jeannie Laing
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    Oct 10th 2020, 1:23 AM

    @Úna O Connor Barrett…
    Yes , Donelly is a scurrilous opportunist.
    He won’t last long .

    1
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    Mute leartius
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    Oct 9th 2020, 11:03 AM

    Stephen Donnelly impressed as minister. He did not run away like Simon Harris would. He showed respect for our political system and its function in this emergency. If anything all deputies that attended although playing a bit of politics proved their overriding concern was for Irish people’s health. Most questions asked were relevant and answers given were sincere.
    Leo hissy fit from earlier was forgotten. Does our Dáil really need another drama queen? FF video celebrating Stephen Donnelly 100 days as minister is about as cringeworthy https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=2727684460809647

    1
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    Mute Jeannie Laing
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    Oct 10th 2020, 1:24 AM

    @leartius: are you kidding me.
    Donelly is a scurrilous opportunist.

    1
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