Dublin's Coombe Hospital is to launch an independent review into the vaccine controversy that erupted when it emerged that Covid-19 vaccines had been given to 16 family members of staff.
The hospital tonight confirmed that it will commence a review into the issue given the "serious nature of the matter."
It comes after a former master at the hospital called for an inquiry into the episode.
The hospital's board of directors met on Monday night to discuss an issue that left many fuming after it emerged that jabs had been given to members of staff working at the hospital.
It's believed that two of those who received the vaccine were children of Professor Michael O'Connell, the master of the Coombe Hospital.
Professor O'Connell apologised on Sunday and said he "deeply regrets" the fact that doses of the vaccine were administered to family members of hospital workers.
"The decision to use the vaccines that had already been made up was made to ensure that not a single reconstituted vaccine was wasted," he said.
"Had they not been used they would have been discarded. I was keenly aware of that and throughout the evening and from 9.30pm onward I personally made every effort to prioritise and identify additional frontline workers and followed all measures available to me at the time.
"In hindsight as master, I deeply regret that family members of employees were vaccinated and for that I wholeheartedly apologise."
A flurry of politicians – including Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly and his predecessor, Simon Harris – have weighed in on the controversy in the days since it was reported.
Mr Donnelly said: "Trust in the vaccine programme is of critical importance and what happened should not have happened.
"“Our vaccine allocation strategy clearly sets out a priority list for vaccination - and that’s currently for frontline healthcare workers and residents and staff of our long-term residential care facilities."
