Just under 150,000 vaccines arrived in Ireland last week, it has emerged.
There were 60,840 Pfizer and 84,000 AstraZeneca deliveries between Monday, March 8, and Sunday, March 14.
The 144,840 vaccines are the highest number to arrive in Ireland in a single week so far.
And health officials have also confirmed that no AstraZeneca doses will be administered before Monday at the earliest, with an EMA announcement on the safety of the jab due in the coming days.
A Department of Health spokesman said: "Ireland’s COVID-19 vaccination programme strategy is to distribute all available vaccines as quickly as is operationally possible, prioritising those who are most vulnerable to COVID-19.
"The programme is based on the principles of safety, effectiveness and fairness, with the objective of reducing severe illness, hospitalisations and deaths from COVID-19 infection.
"As of 14 March, 617,050 doses of vaccine have been administered in Ireland.
"This week (Week 11), vaccination with COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca vaccine has been temporarily suspended.
"The manufacturer of the Moderna vaccine has requested that 50% is held back for second doses.
"Similarly, an appropriate buffer amount is built up and held back for the other vaccines to ensure availability of second doses for the following week.
"Currently, about 95% of available vaccines are administered within seven days of arrival in Ireland."
