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Leah Farrell/RollingNews.ie

Government wants a much smaller group with 'fresh' thinking for NPHET's replacement

Around 14 people will sit on the new group which is due to be announced this week.

THE NEW GROUP to replace the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) set to be announced later this week will be much smaller than the previous. 

It is understood that the Government believes some new “fresh” thinking is required two years into the pandemic. 

The gender balance issue is also something it keenly wants to address given the criticisms of NPHET’s top table being very male-dominated throughout the pandemic.

It is understood the health minister wants to ensure scientists are well represented and that there is a better gender balance among the public-facing parts of the group. 

There is also a view that the group has been dominated by the specialty of public health experts, with a focus now in the phase of the pandemic to include expertise in other areas such as virology, infectious diseases, microbiology, science and epidemiological disease modelling. 

The Sunday Independent reported this week that Health Minister Stephen Donnelly and outgoing Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan are at odds over the make-up of the new Covid advisory group.

It is envisaged that some of the same faces that made up NPHET over the last two years will feature on the new grouping, which will now only have around 14 people on it. NPHET, which was established at the end of January 2020 and disbanded in February 2022 had close to 40 members. 

The new group will advise Government over the medium to long term. 

Fianna Fáil senator Lisa Chambers told The Journal that there needs to be a strong balance on the group. 

“There is no doubt about it, we absolutely need to have a better balance in terms of gender and more diversity,” she said. 

Chambers said that throughout the pandemic she has been very vocal about the treatment of maternity care during the crisis given that she had her own baby during the pandemic. 

“And I do wonder, if there were more female voices at the table, would that issue have been dealt with the way that it was, would it have been handled differently? Would it have been handled better? We can’t be sure, we will never know. But I think it’s quite likely that it would have been handled differently,” she said.

“It’s not that you can’t empathise with something, but if you’ve lived it, and you’ve been through it, it does give you a different perspective,” said Chambers, adding that a different perspective and view around the table is always a plus.

“We approach things in a slightly different way, not better, not worse, but just different. And that’s why, at every level of decision making, it’s not just for when it comes to NPHET, but for every level of government business, you’d love to have that balance,” she said. 

She noted that many studies and research show that you get better policies and better decisions when there is more diversity.

“That’s why we should be endeavoring to do the same thing with this grouping,” she added. 

While she said there will always be a degree of nervousness in setting up a new group like this, given the huge level of responsibility on their shoulders, she is optimistic it will work well. 

“They will be critiqued to a very high level,” she said.

Taking a “glass half full approach” she is not anticipating huge issues albeit perhaps some teething problems.

“I expect it to work well,” said Chambers, stating that mistakes have been learned from the past and how some matters were dealt with. 

“It will give us a chance to do this in a better way, because we’ve had the benefit of time and experience we didn’t have with the last one,” she said.

She said the proof will be in its operation and its composition.

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    Mute anto Byrne
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    Jul 1st 2013, 2:37 PM

    An absolute disgrace I have to sell yokes to keep me afloat.

    79
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    Mute Rick MacRory
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    Jul 1st 2013, 2:52 PM

    And the majority of fools will still blame our government . Its world wide recession. Foolish fools

    18
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    Mute NidgeWeasel
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    Jul 1st 2013, 3:00 PM

    No recession in my gaf.

    41
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    Mute Flippermac
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    Jul 1st 2013, 3:32 PM

    Dont forget to welcome all the unemployment from Croatia

    53
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    Mute Bobby Murray
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    Jul 1st 2013, 5:16 PM

    @ Rick, “foolish fools” I never heard of an intelligent fool, only a politicians fool and that is you and your “foolish” comments!

    23
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    Mute Tom Newell
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    Jul 1st 2013, 5:25 PM

    Yes rick the unemployment is all down to a world wide recession not mistakes made by governments and banks and greed and idiot decisions

    26
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    Mute Jonny Rigley
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    Jul 1st 2013, 8:55 PM

    What I’d like to see is the unemployment figures if Germany was excluded. I’d say that would give the figure a good jump

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    Mute itchy willy
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    Jul 1st 2013, 3:51 PM

    Vote for the Lisbon Treaty – vote for Jobs

    66
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    Mute grease lightening
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    Jul 1st 2013, 5:30 PM

    What do you mean a No vote? Ve vant a Yes vote!

    23
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    Mute Niall
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    Jul 1st 2013, 2:43 PM

    An extra 4 unemployed people in Ireland? Ha!

    48
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    Mute Bobby Murray
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    Jul 1st 2013, 5:27 PM

    “26 million people in the EU unemployed” not to worry, they are welcome in Ireland and they can get Social Welfare, free housing, children’s allowance (no need to uproot your children), free medical, travel pass and anything you can think of that theIrish who were self employed are not entitled too! Immigrants get priority! If you feel you are not getting your entitlements when you arrive on these shores, just shout racism and you are entitled to free legal representation too.
    All welcome even if you are not European!

    34
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    Mute Jack Green
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    Jul 1st 2013, 6:19 PM

    Is your social welfare open for abuse? Are you that thick as a nation? Cannot sort it out? Ask for help,ask Germany.Angela Merkel will be more than happy to help ye,she will knock the common sense in your heads

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    Mute Marko Burns
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    Jul 1st 2013, 2:54 PM

    4 people? Malcolm Tucker has been massaging the DOSAC figures again.

    32
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    Mute Cipiatone
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    Jul 1st 2013, 5:31 PM

    This austerity thing is working a treat!

    20
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    Mute FlopFlipU
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    Jul 1st 2013, 3:43 PM

    Good grief

    17
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    Mute Pete Foley
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    Jul 1st 2013, 5:44 PM

    Plus one more if they take any more money from me.

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    Mute murphy 11
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    Jul 1st 2013, 6:58 PM

    Bet seasonally adjusted figures show about 750,000 unemployed.

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    Mute noel beggs
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    Jul 1st 2013, 8:11 PM

    Wait till Albania get in. God help us

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    Mute grease lightening
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    Jul 1st 2013, 6:37 PM

    Anyone hear David Norris’s speech today? Worth a listen!

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    Mute Jack Green
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    Jul 1st 2013, 6:18 PM

    Is your social welfare open for abuse? Are you that thick as a nation? Cannot sort it out? Ask for help,ask Germany.Angela Merkel will be more than happy to help ye,she will knock the common sense in your heads.

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