The Tánaiste has told his party the criticism of Government communications recently is reasonable.
Leo Varadkar said the Government has heard people loud and clear.
Mr Varadkar also told a Fine Gael parliamentary party meeting this evening that the country will be heading towards 300,000 vaccinations a week in May and June.
He also signaled that the Government will be embracing much greater levels of antigen testing.
Tánaiste Leo Varadkar has told his party the criticism of government communications recently is reasonable. Says they’ve heard people loud and clear
— Seán Defoe (@SeanDefoe) February 24, 2021
The Tánaiste's comments about communications come in the wake of the announcement yesterday that level five restrictions will be extended until at least early April.
Ahead of the formal announcement, the Government had faced significant criticism from opposition parties and the public over how details about restrictions were revealed in media interviews.
Social Democrats leader Róisín Shortall last week said communications from the Government had been 'atrocious'.
She added that it was 'completely unacceptable' that critical information was being given in newspaper interviews.
Separately, the Taoiseach this evening said people are spending longer in hospital with COVID-19 due to the British variant.
Micheál Martin also told his parliamentary party meeting tonight that people are getting sicker with this strain.
