Micheál Martin has hit back at criticism from Fianna Fáil TD Marc MacSharry.
He said he 'seriously disagreed' with a suggestion from the backbench TD that the Acting Chief Medical Officer should be taken off TV screens.
At the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party meeting yesterday, Deputy Marc MacSharry also said Tánaiste Leo Varadkar was 'running rings' around the Taoiseach in press conferences.
The TD claimed Mr Martin has a teacher to pupil style relationship with his TDs, and that Fianna Fáil party is in trouble.
Speaking this afternoon, Taoiseach Micheál Martin hit back at the criticism.
He said: "To be very clear, since the very outset since I formed a Cabinet and appointed my ministers, Marc MacSharry has made it clear that he's dissatisfied.
"He's entitled to his views - I disagree, of course, with them.
"I focus on the issues of substance, such as dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic... dealing also, of course, with the challenges of Brexit."
The Taoiseach also said he 'seriously disagreed' with the suggestion from Deputy MacSharry that Acting Chief Medical Officer Dr Ronan Glynn should 'somehow be disappeared from public view'.
He said: "I think that was something I couldn't quite comprehend.
"The Irish people want to hear from the Chief Medical Officer. They value and respect Ronan Glynn, and of course his predecessor Tony Holohan.
"Those societies that value public health advice have done best so far in this global pandemic. Those that endeavour to relegate the views of public health experts... have not done as well in terms of mortality or overall dealing with the issue of COVID-19."
Mr Martin reiterated his 'respect and support' for Dr Glynn.
