More than 45,000 older people have now received their first vaccine shot, as the HSE and GPs ramp up the vaccine roll-out.The latest data up to last Friday shows 426,070 shots given between older people in the community, residents and staff in nursing homes and frontline healthcare workers.And 140,290 people in these groups are now fully vaccinated.
Among the over-85s group, known as Cohort 3 on the Government priority list, 45,741 received their shot up to Friday, which met the HSE target.
Last Thursday, the head of the HSE Paul Reid said the plan was for another 44,000 in this category to get their first shot this week this includes 350 people who got their shot in Cork at the Munster Technological University campus.
In total, there are 72,000 in this age category, so Mr Reid said some GPs will this week already move down the priority list to begin vaccinating those aged 80-84.
There is a 28-day gap between first and second shots, so the plan is to vaccinate all 490,000 over-70s by mid-April and complete the second dose by mid-May.
The total for this week is set to be 92,000 which will also include 3,600 people in nursing homes, mainly getting their second dose with 600 getting only their first dose.
The Pfizer vaccine will be given to 4,400 healthcare workers, while another 40,000 will receive their first shot of AstraZeneca.
The number of vaccines given is updated twice weekly on the Covid-19 Data Hub, and in addition every Thursday the HSE publishes the number of vaccines delivered from each company compared to the numbers going into arms.
Contractual obligations to keep a certain amount of doses as a buffer for the second doses mean that 100% of the deliveries will never be given but the HSE has so far given 94% each week.
The Pfizer vaccine is still the most common at 356,169 doses given, followed by AstraZeneca at 62,161 and Moderna at 7,740 up to Friday.
The data also shows that up to Friday, 411 people not in the three priority categories have been vaccinated.
Among the over-85s group, known as Cohort 3 on the Government priority list, 45,741 received their shot up to Friday, which met the HSE target. Picture: Andy Gibson
It has been reported that in at least two hospitals family members of senior staff were vaccinated ahead of other staff or medical students.
On Monday, Health Minister Stephen Donnelly met with his EU counterparts, and representatives from the European Medicines Agency, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control and the European Commission.
He said following some manufacturing delays earlier in the EU-wide roll-out: It is imperative that the companies deliver on the commitments made to facilitate the much-anticipated significant increase in supply throughout this quarter. 
Mr Donnelly said the EU was committed to bolstering vaccine supply to target any new variants which emerge.
Ireland South MEP Deirdre Clune has welcomed news the European Commission will present a proposal this month to create an EU-wide digital vaccination passport.
She said: It is expected that it will provide proof that a person who is travelling has been vaccinated against Covid-19 while it will also show test results for people who have not yet received a vaccine.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the aim of the pass is to gradually enable Europeans to move safely in the European Union or abroad.