Just over 855,000 doses of vaccine had arrived in Ireland by last Friday, according to the latest figures from the Department of Health.

By Sunday, just over 680,000 doses had been administered around the country.

Government policy is to hold back a certain number of doses to ensure there is enough there to administer second doses to all who need them should supplies fail.

The Department said that currently around 95% of all vaccines that arrive in Ireland are administered with the next seven days.

Total vaccine deliveries to Ireland. Image: Department of Health

On Monday, a further 10,434 were administered, bringing the total amount administered to 690,449.

Some 503,796 have received their first dose and 186,653 have received their second.

It means just over 10% of the population have now received their first dose.

Ireland’s COVID-19 vaccination rate. Image: Department of Health

Speaking in the Dáil this morning, the Health Minister Stephen Donnelly said the impact of the vaccine on case number has been undermined by people breaching the coronavirus guidelines.

He said the number of doses arriving in Ireland will increase significantly from April leading to a ‘step-change’ in the amount administered every week.

He said the work of the vaccine campaign has been offset by increased social interaction.

“What we are seeing is a big fall in cases associated with the vaccinated cohorts and that big fall, unfortunately, is being offset by the increase in cases associated with increased mobility and increased interactions,” he said.

He said Ireland now expects to receive a total of 1.1 million doses by the end of the month – 300,000 less than was originally hoped.