Lucinda Creighton: We need to talk about who will call the shots in a post-Covid world

The government has been led in its decisions on the pandemic by Nphet, an unelected body that favours conformity of opinion within its ranks, but as we move towards ‘Living with Covid’, it is time to reinstate proper democratic accountability and transparency

Leo Varadkar and Dr Tony Holohan: ‘The opaque relationship between the government and Nphet and the practice of deferring to Nphet as a de facto decision-maker has in effect vested emergency statutory powers in a body of unelected officials.’ Picture: Julien Behal

As we approach the 80 per cent vaccination level among the adult Irish population – the supposed holy grail of “herd immunity” – it is hard not to wonder when the government’s plans for “living with Covid” are likely to kick in.

Living with Covid is supposed to mean that we develop long-lasting and realistic strategies to co-exist with the virus. We all know this virus is endemic. It is not going anywhere. Once the ...