Minister for Health Mary Harney has said she is taking expert advice regarding the continuation of the programme to vaccinate primary school students against swine flu.
Speaking on RTÉ's News at One, Ms Harney said the Department of Health's chief medical officer was currently reviewing the HSE's approach to the vaccination programme for primary schools.
She said the HSE would not proceed with the programme if it was not necessary, as it would not make sense to 'use scarce resources that could be redeployed elsewhere'.
Ms Harney also said the Government had followed best international practice in relation to the introduction of a vaccination programme.
She said the Government could not have taken chances in relation to the pandemic and pointed out that there had been a number of deaths from swine flu in Ireland.
The minister said people should not become complacent about the possible return of another wave of the virus.
However, Ms Harney said the Government would not now be proceeding with the order it had placed for the swine flu vaccine.
