Meanwhile, Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald has called the reopening of schools a “shambles” and a “disgrace”.
Stephen Donnelly has said that “there are no moves at present” to revisit the priority vaccination groups to move teachers further up the list.
The Minister for Health said that for now, the priority will remain on those in long-term residential care, the over 70s and healthcare workers.
However, he did not rule out changes being made to the list in the future.
He once again referred to schools as a safe environment, and said “ultimately we have to be led on schools by public health advice”.
Donnelly also said the administering of leftover vaccines to those who are not frontline workers should not have happened, describing it as a “profound error of judgement”.
“I am not happy about it,” he added.
Donnelly said earlier in the day that 140,000 Covid vaccines are set to be administered across Ireland by next Sunday.
Meanwhile, Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald has called the reopening of schools as a “shambles” and a “disgrace”.
Speaking on Tuesday morning, McDonald said that Minister for Education Norma Foley has not given “adequate assurances” to staff that they and their families will be safe as a result of a return to classes.
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