IRELAND'S vaccination programme has been deemed the third best among all European Union nations.
Statistics show that in terms of vaccine doses administered per 100 people, Ireland is only bettered by two other countries in terms of efficiency of distribution.
Only Malta and Denmark have administered more vaccines per 100 people than Ireland has.
As of February 7, Ireland has managed to administer 4.87 doses of the coronavirus vaccine per 100 people.
Malta has managed 9.35 per 100 people, and Denmark has managed 6.03.
Ireland narrowly tops the likes of Romania and Lithuania, who round off the top five.
The European Union average sits at 4.04 vaccines per 100 people.
Since vaccines were initially made available in December, countries all over the world have been scrambling to get their share and administer them to the public.
The UK, famously, was the first country to clinically approve the vaccine for use.
EU nations had to wait a little longer, as they needed approval from the European Medicines Agency before anything could be given the go-ahead.
The first coronavirus vaccine was administered in Ireland on December 28.
Supply issues last month, particularly concerning the AstraZeneca vaccine, have troubled almost all vaccination programmes across the EU, but those issues appear to have been mended.
Ireland's Health Minister announced today that the plan is to have all over 70s vaccinated by mid-May, and hopefully also reach the target of vaccinating the entire population by September.
"The schedule I have would suggest that the group [over 70s] will have finished their second doses by mid-May," Donnelly said.
"But as always, these things are dependent on the supplies arriving.
"If we get the supplies that are forecast, and we know these things go up and down, it would be around mid-May the second dose is complete."
