The Taoiseach has said he doesn't see Dr Tony Holohan or Paul Reid sitting in a witness chair to explain the handling of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Micheál Martin says there will be an investigation into the response of Government and civil servants, with details due to be announced in the coming weeks.
The Taoiseach says it will be more of a fact finding mission, rather than a witch hunt.
"In that light, as I've said consistently, when a crisis... a once in a 100-year event like a pandemic, mistakes will be made. The important thing is to learn from them, and particularly in relation to public servants, they're in the lion's den from the beginning, the heat is on with 24-hour reactions and so forth in dealing with a crisis of this kind."
Meanwhile, Ireland will need to use “reasonable precautions” like face masks to tackle Covid-19 for the foreseeable future, according to a public health expert.
Case numbers
As case numbers continue to climb in Irish hospitals, Professor of Health Systems at DCU Anthony Staines said people need to continue to take care not to catch the virus - even after vaccination.
There were 1,175 confirmed cases in hospitals on Sunday, another increase after 153 new cases and 45 discharges were recorded over the last 24 hours. 49 people are being treated in intensive care units.
With mask-wearing no longer required by law in any setting, Prof Staines said people should continue to wear them on public transport as a “sensible and reasonable” precaution.
“I think it’s going to be very important for really the foreseeable future to take sensible and reasonable precautions against Covid,” he told Newstalk radio.
“That’s going to mean things like obviously vaccination first and foremost, but also things like ventilation, like working from home, socialising out of doors wherever possible, much wider use of air filtration and wider use of masks.”
