COVID-19 vaccine registration will open for people in their 30s in 'the next day or two', Simon Harris has confirmed.
UPDATE: Health Minister Stephen Donnelly has since confirmed registration will first open for those aged 35-39, starting with 39-year-olds on Sunday.
Minister Harris said it's 'very likely' college and university students will be vaccinated by the start of the new academic year.
The Government's currently aiming to have 70% of adults fully vaccinated by the end of July.
Speaking on Newstalk Breakfast, the Higher Education Minister said students will also benefit from the vaccination of wider society.
He said: "We're opening the portal to people aged between 30 and 39 in the next day or two.
"We have some way to go in terms of getting from here to September in terms of weeks of vaccination left.
"We're doing probably well over 300,000 vaccines a week now."
In previous age groups, registration has opened on a phased basis over several days - working down through the ages from oldest first to youngest.
The same pattern will be followed for over-30s, meaning 39-year-olds will register first from Sunday - followed by 38-year-olds on Monday, and so on down through the age group.
People in their 30s are expected to receive either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines.
