If the virus continues to spread, things will get very hairy indeed for the Government

Good morning and welcome to the Inside Politics daily digest, making a belated return this morning.

On every Dáil sitting day, we’ll bring you the essential guide to the day ahead in politics, a heads-up on the stories of the day as well as the pick of the morning’s political coverage and commentary from The Irish Times and elsewhere.

There’s no doubt as what the story of the day is. On Sunday night, the Government – and the rest of the country – was stunned when the public health experts in NPHET advised that a new lockdown was necessary to halt the spread of the virus.

Last night, after a series of meetings throughout the day, the Government declined to take NPHET’s advice in a calculated and very public way. It is the first time since the pandemic began the Government and its public health experts have been so clearly at odds.

Life under Level 3: What stays open and where can I travel?

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Trump says ‘don’t be afraid’ of Covid-19 as he returns to the White House

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Collaboration between public health experts and Government appears over

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How NPHET made a strong case for Level 5

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Last night, the Taoiseach explained in an address to the nation and his Ministers elaborated in the late-night press conference at Government Buildings that they could not justify the economic damage entailed by the sudden lockdown requested by NPHET. They said hundreds of thousands of jobs would be lost but warned the public would have to observe the Level 3 restrictions if they were to avoid an eventual lockdown in the future.

Our lead story is here.

Anger was expressed in private by people at all levels of Government. The view NPHET tried to bounce them into a lockdown was ventilated in public by Tánaiste Leo Varadkar on Claire Byrne's show on RTÉ television last night, when he launched a scathing attack on NPHET and, by extension, on the Chief Medical Officer, Dr Tony Holohan.

The relationship between the Government and NPHET has been fundamentally reset. At one level, it is a restatement of the proper, legal order of things: NPHET advises, and the Government decides. But it also marks a clear change in the relationship between the two bodies, with one (the Government) rejecting what many of its members see as an attempt by the other to usurp its authority.

It is also, in another way, a gamble by the Government – if cases spiral out of control, it is unlikely to be forgotten that Ministers chose to reject the public health advice. The Government will hope that the tightened restrictions, along with tougher enforcement, will arrest the spread of the virus. If not, things will get very hairy indeed for the Government - and for the rest of us.

“It’s not about who’s right and who’s wrong,” Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly told a press conference in Government Buildings last night. He might find that is exactly what it is about. Expect this to dominate the news again today.

My analysis is here.

Here's an explainer of the new Level 3 restrictions.

Additional reports here and here.

Not surprisingly, it's also the lead story in the Irish Examiner and the Irish Independent

‘Better than 20 years ago’: Trump leaves hospital

That’s not the only Covid story this morning, though. The world’s most famous pandemic patient, Donald Trump, left hospital in Washington last night and will continue his recuperation at home in the White House.

Expect much debate over the political consequences of his illness. Does overcoming the virus (assuming his recovery continues) demonstrate he is fit and strong, and ready for another four years? That the pandemic is not such a big deal, when he can get over it so quickly?

Or does the infection – and that of half the White House – show that Trump still doesn’t take the virus seriously even though it has killed more than 200,000 Americans? My hunch is that the Trump base will believe the former. But to win the election, Trump has to appeal beyond his existing base. And they may be more likely to believe the latter.

Here's Washington Correspondent Suzanne Lynch's report.

The New York Times reports on Trump's homecoming but also on the outbreak in the White House, with press secretary Kayleigh McEnaney (surely one of our own) becoming the latest senior figure there to test positive.

The Times also reports on a study that found nearly a third of Covid patients who were hospitalised had an "altered mental state". That could be a good thing, of course.

Trump hailed his own recovery last night, tweeting: “We have developed, under the Trump Administration, some really great drugs and knowledge. I feel better than I did 20 years ago!” They must be some drugs, alright.

Best reads

Fintan on Trump and Covid.

Simon Carswell on a possible new ferry service to the continent.

Critical piece on the State's Covid-19 response from UCD professor Jack Lambert.

Good budget preview from Fiona Reddan.

Further evidence from the Central Bank that the economy as a whole is proving pretty robust.

Playbook

Lots of chatter last night about Government still being furious with NPHET and NPHET being annoyed at Leo Varadkar’s attack on it. So there’s lots to chew over on morning radio.

The Cabinet is also due to meet at Government Buildings this morning for its regular weekly meeting.

The Dáil resumes at 2pm today for Leaders' Questions, with a packed schedule for the day that doesn't finish until after midnight tonight. The full listing is here.

There's also a full schedule of committee meetings (details here).

Keep an eye also on the Supreme Court today to see if newbie judge, golfer, bon viveur and (by his own admission) distinguished Belvederian Seamus Woulfe shuffles onto the bench for his first case.

Mr Justice Woulfe was due to meet his boss, the Chief Justice (neither golfer nor bon viveur he) for “discussions” yesterday, though that meeting was unfortunately postponed.

The same Mr Justice Woulfe is the subject of considerable correspondence to the editor today

But we'll let you know what happens there and everywhere else on irishtimes.com over the course of the day. Do drop in.