The Government and NPHET were both caught by surprise over the recent rapid increase in COVID-19 cases, a Junior Minister has said.
Minister of State for European Affairs Thomas Byrne defended the Government's decision to allow hospitality to reopen along with household visits as part of the easing of restrictions before Christmas.
This is despite recommendations from NPHET that only one should be permitted from December 1st.
Additionally, the Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan warned in early December that a "challenging" level of cases in early January is "more likely than not".
It comes as the CEO of the HSE said we have yet to see the worst impacts of the recent surge in coronavirus on the health service.
Paul Reid, in sharing that 581 patients with the virus are currently in hospital nationwide, echoed the sentiments of Dr Holohan who warned that the trend will "get worse before it gets better".
Yesterday saw 1,754 new cases of the virus confirmed in the Republic, with more than 9,000 additional new cases expected to be reported over the coming days.
Deputy Byrne, a Fianna Fáil TD for Meath East, said the current situation with the virus is "beyond anyone's expectations".
Speaking on Newstalk Breakfast with Susan Keogh, he said "we just have to deal with the epidemiological situation that we have here".
"Numbers are increasing in Ireland in a pretty dramatic way and in a way, it has to be said, wasn't expected either by the Government or NPHET," Deputy Byrne stated.
"At this particular juncture, I don't think anyone expected that the numbers would be at this level.
"I think it's beyond anyone's expectations."
Deputy Byrne added that the focus should be on the containing adherence to public health guidelines and the roll-out of the vaccination programme.
Stay home. 581 people in hospital with COVID-19 this morning, up from 255 on 24 December. Positive tests, cases and hospitalisations are doubling every 7-10 days. We can stop this, but it's essential that each and every one of us plays our part to turn the tide. Stay home. pic.twitter.com/vGHYu5ehKF
— Professor Philip Nolan (@PhilipNolan_SFI) January 2, 2021
He said NPHET "did not predict the numbers would be at this level at this point".
The TD said: "It wasn't predicted by NPHET that this would happen at this particular juncture, I think this has even surprised them, is my understanding of it.
"I certainly don't want the virus to be spreading in the way that it is.
"The danger of this particular virus is at all times is that this thing changes very, very quickly and that's obviously what's happened here at an extraordinarily quick pace.
"I think we're all surprised by this, I don't think anyone has said previously at any point in December that this would happen at this particular point.
On the easing of level five restrictions before Christmas, the Junior Minister said the Government implemented "very limited" versions of hospitality and household visits.
Inter-county travel was only permitted from December 18th while visiting other houses "willy nilly" was also not allowed, he added.
