The Taoiseach says he's hopeful Ireland can 'catch up' quickly with the AstraZeneca vaccine programme after what he expects will only be a temporary pause.
Italy, Germany and France are the latest countries to temporarily suspend the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine.
It's amid concerns about a small number of blood clots in patients who have received the jab.
There's no evidence yet linking the clots with the jab, and health authorities say the suspensions are being made purely as a precaution.
The EU medicines regulator is expected to give its assessment as early as tomorrow morning.
However, around 30,000 people here will not receive the vaccine as expected this week as a result of the pause.
Speaking to CNBC, Micheál Martin says when it does get the green light for use again it will be administered quickly.
He said: “We hope this is temporary - we anticipate it will be temporary.
“[We hope] we can catch up fairly quickly in terms of the administration of the AstraZeneca vaccines.”
He added that the pause is 'unwelcome', but the vaccination programme so far has had a 'dramatic' impact against the virus.
