NPHET has expressed concern about the planned re-opening of the economy next week.
In particular health officials have concerns about the opening of the hospitality sector.
Restaurants and pubs that serve food are due to open at some point in December - but NPHET has raised issues with this in a letter to the Health Minister.
The caution from NPHET was expected by the government.
It's expected most retail will open next week, with restaurants and gastro-pubs the week after with so-called wet pubs not opening at all.
But, Tánaiste Leo Varadkar says he is listening to the argument made by publicans.
"I do understand this argument that a pub is a controlled environment and that people are less likely to interact there then they would at a house party or a home gathering," he said.
Asked about pubs opening Leo Varadkar says he's sympathetic to the argument that pubs are controlled environments but doesn't think it's true to say there would be less house parties by opening them
— Seán Defoe (@SeanDefoe) November 26, 2020
But the Tánaiste did say that pubs don't cancel out home gatherings.
"But I do think we need to bear in mind that an equal number of home gatherings won't happen [if pubs reopen]."
Donegal GP Backs Suggestion To Tighten Border For Public Health Reasons
Meanwhile, Leo Varadkar's comment surrounding movement over the border had a mixed reaction.
Leo Varadkar raised the idea at a Fine Gael party meeting last night but has since doubled down on the suggestion.
Leo Varadkar says explicitly in the Dáil there is no North - South travel ban being considered. But there will still be the 'stay-in-your-county' travel restrictions in place next week
— Seán Defoe (@SeanDefoe) November 26, 2020
Donegal based GP Martin Coyne thinks measures must be taken to restrict travel.
"Nobody around, certainly in Lifford, wants to lock down the border but I do think we need to make it a little bit inconvenient to travel over to Strabane or Derry for frivolous reasons."
He said he would be in favor of a twenty-four hour garda check point on the bridge between Donegal and Derry.
