By James Ward, PA
The Department of Health has confirmed 448 more positive cases of Covid-19 in the Republic.
The latest figures show there are 44 people in hospital with the disease, including 14 in intensive care.
The department confirmed two further deaths, bringing the State's death toll to 5,000.
The update comes as the Taoiseach said expert advice to speed up the vaccine rollout would not have changed the decision to pause the reopening of indoor hospitality.
The National Immunisation Advisory Committee (Niac) changed their advice to Government – to allow under-40s to avail of AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson jabs – in light of the Delta variant.
Micheál Martin confirmed the advice was not included in National Public Health Emergency Team (Nphet) modelling that led the to the decision on hospitality, but said in “no shape or form” would it have changed Cabinet’s decision.
He said: “The Niac advice, and this should be obvious to all, is a response to Delta. It was not central to our decision last Tuesday.
“It’s because of the fact that Delta is spreading so dramatically in the UK, and potentially is the most transmissible we’ve had so far.”
He added: “I think the idea of trying to connect them and say, well if it wasn’t it would lead to a different decision, that’s not the case whatsoever.
“In no shape or form would it have changed the decision.”
Mr Martin said he was “surprised by some of the reports” that Ministers were told Niac advice had been included in the modelling.
But he refused to comment on what Ministers had been told, citing Cabinet confidentiality.
Hospitality working group
A working group is to be established with stakeholders from the hospitality sector to discuss how the safe return of indoor service in pubs and restaurants can be facilitated.
Nphet has called for the Government to delay the return of indoor pubs and restaurants from July 5th, until an “enforceable” system to prove vaccination or immunity status can be put in place.
The Taoiseach said on Thursday that Government will keep an “open mind” on proposals.
He said: “We said we’d go into these meetings with the working group with an open mind.
“Our minds are not closed in terms of how we do this, and the various mechanisms or pillars that we could use to facilitate the safe reopening of hospitality.”
It is not clear if the system will be linked to the EU’s digital Covid cert for international travel, due to take force on July 19.
“We’re not conflating the two just yet. We’re focused immediately on the travel, getting that sorted, and that’s on track” the Taoiseach said.
Speaking at the launch of the National Marine Planning Framework in Dún Laoghaire, the Taoiseach said an update timeline for the vaccine rollout, based on the new Niac advice, will be available in the coming days.
Delighted to launch the National Marine Planning Framework today.
As an island nation, Ireland has a special relationship with our coasts and seas pic.twitter.com/hPmrW17yd4
— Micheál Martin (@MichealMartinTD) July 1, 2021
At an HSE briefing on Thursday, chief executive Paul Reid said the Minister for Health had been briefed on the updated plan.
He said: “Just in the last hour or so, we have briefed the Minister on the revised proposed plan, which we’ve set out to him.
“We have to pay due respect to the minister who now will want to brief his colleagues in Government.
“We do expect further communications on that, but you will appreciate that today, we have to facilitate the minister to brief some of his colleagues, and work through some of the detail with his department as well.
“But suffice to say, it will be a very ambitious plan and will continue to utilise all available channels for us and fully embrace all of the recommendations from Niac.
Continued strong momentum on our vaccination programme. Well over 100,000 administered in the first two days this week. Over 4.1M done to date with almost 67% adults had a Dose 1 & 44% a dose 2. #covid19 hospitalisations at 40 & ICU at 16. Every day more protections. @HSELive
— Paul Reid (@paulreiddublin) June 30, 2021
Mr Reid said that last week that more than 351,000 vaccine doses were administered.
About 2.54 million first doses have been given, representing 67 per cent of the population, while 45 per cent are fully vaccinated, having received both doses.
