Minister for Health Simon Harris says he "instinctively agrees" with a ban on unvaccinated children attending schools and creches.
He was responding to comments made by Dr Dominic Rowley, a consultant at Portlaoise Hospital.
Tweeting the Minister, Dr Rowley wrote: "Vaccines weren’t invented for a bit of craic. Simon Harris TD Take a bold step and ban healthy unvaccinated kids from crèche/school.
"It’s a really simple life-saving concept. We should be protecting those kids who cannot receive vaccines.
"I am a big fan of personal choice however when it comes to vaccines I have zero understanding / tolerance.
"We must protect the most vulnerable amongst us. Home school is an option if you’d rather not vaccinate your healthy children.
He added: "In Ireland kids have to be baptized to get into certain schools and it’s an accepted norm but not vaccinated. Well that is simply bonkers".
Minister Harris responded to the medic saying he "instinctively agrees" with the proposal but conceded that there may be "constitutional issues."
It comes following recent outbreaks of mumps and measles in Ireland.
