Public health experts on NPHET will now have to inform the Department of Health before making any media appearances, a Government spokesperson said this evening.
They said this was part of an effort to coordinate communications. The Government Information Service will also provide key points on the communications strategy for those speaking to the media.
However, they insisted that the Government would not veto any appearance nor would it prevent public health experts expressing their opinions.
They said that independent health advice has proved very valuable during the pandemic. Speaking earlier in the Dáil, Taoiseach Micheál Martin said that no member of NPHET was stopped from talking to the media.