Consternation. That was the immediate reaction of ministers to the unexpected recommendation from the National Public Health Emergency Team that only vaccinated people, and those who had recovered from Covid-19, should be allowed to enjoy indoor hospitality.
They were blindsided by the NPHET advice and are struggling to get to grips with it. For months, the Government had espoused the value of being "all in this together." It has publicly eschewed treating the vaccinated differently from those who did not have the jab.
Now that principle is being hastily ditched. At a news conference this afternoon, Tánaiste Leo Varadkar explained that switching to the new policy would be "difficult" and some would see it as "discriminatory".