The European Medicines Agency is set to approve the Johnson and Johnson Covid-19 vaccine in a major boost to Ireland's rollout.
It will be the fourth life saving jab that will be approved for use here in the coming weeks.
The Johnson and Johnson vaccine has proven to be effective in providing protection against severe Covid-19 and is unique to previous vaccine in that it requires just a single jab.
The Government is expecting that Ireland will receive 600,000 doses of this new vaccine during the second half of the year.
The European Medicines Agency will makes its decision on the vaccine today paving the way for the EU Commission to give the green light for use in member states as early as tomorrow.
It comes as Micheal Martin yesterday warned that any restrictions that will remain in place beyond April 5 will likely last another six weeks.
The Taoiseach signalled that the majority of Level Five restrictions could still be in place right into the end of May in the Dail yesterday.
Mr Martin told the Dail: "The variant just creates a different situation in terms of the spread of the disease right now in this phase.
"I think we need to keep that foremost in our minds. It's not like the second wave or the first wave, this variant, the B117 variant, spreads much more rapidly than original iterations of the virus.
"That is what's informing a very conservative and cautious approach to what is allowed, and what is not allowed, and what restrictions are in place.
"It still remains a concern. 375 people are in hospital at the moment, that is still higher than the peak of the second wave. The numbers in ICU are likewise very high.
"If we let the guard down too quickly, and this variant gets control again it will spread very rapidly.
"In the week leading into the 5th of April, we will have this situation reviewed and take advice from public health.
"We will then advise in terms of what we believe is the best way forward for the following six weeks after that."
