The Rotunda Hospital has become the second in Dublin to admit giving the coronavirus vaccine to people not included on the national priority list.

The hospital said there were “remnants” of vaccine left in some vials after it had administered all 558 doses it was supplied with.

It said it invited people from the local community to come in and get the vaccine before the remnants expired.

In all, 37 people, including local GPs and members of other vulnerable groups, agreed to come in and take advantage of the “non-approved vaccine remnants.”

The hospital said it consulted with leadership at the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC) before inviting people form the community to come in.

“The Rotunda is of the view, and is supported by NIAC, that this was the morally correct thing to do and a wholly appropriate response in the setting of a pandemic, such that no vaccine was wasted and the maximum good was achieved,” it said.

It said it was not approved to administer the vaccine remnants to members of its own staff and the 37 people who did come in, “did so in the full knowledge they were receiving a non-approved vaccine remnant.”

It comes after the Coombe Hospital admitted administering the vaccine to 16 family members of hospital staff.

The board of the hospital is meeting today to discuss the controversy.