A Minister of State has said that Ireland will be vaccinating people in their 30s by mid-June.
Damien English, Fine Gael TD and Minister of State for Employment Affairs and Retail Businesses, was appearing on Today with Claire Byrne in 'The Gathering' segment.
He was alongside Róisín Shorthall, TD for Dublin North West co-leader of the Social Democrats, and Patricia McBride, a columnist with the Irish News.
Towards the end of the programme the topic moved to the vaccine rollout plan, with host Claire Byrne turning to English for an update.
"We're doing 50s, 60s and 70s at the moment and we'll be doing 40s in that age bracket parallel eventually.
"The conversation about who gets what, I still think it's best that people are given the most appropriate one for their age. We have authorities who have given us good advice.
"I think everyone can accept that the programme is now going at pace and doing well.
"We will achieve a lot over May and June because supply is coming in."
At this point, Claire turned to Irish News reporter and columnist McBride, who had been given her vaccine already in Derry.
"I've had my first, yes and I get my second tomorrow week. We're in a position in the North where the people in their 30s are currently receiving their vaccines."
It was here that English tried to interrupt, saying: "Yeah, we'll be there soon, we'll be there in June too."
McBride continued onward, pushing as to why there wasn't an all-island strategy
"The Republic of Ireland is tied in to the EU securing the right numbers for each state so that's why they can't get any leftovers from the North.
"But online bookings for vaccinations were rolled out in the North in January. Why has it taken so long in this part of Ireland?"
English responded: "I think in June we'll be in much the same space as you now. There's about four weeks in the difference."
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