The Minister for Health has accused Independent TD Verona Murphy of spreading anti-vax information in the Dáil.
During a debate on the extension of Covid-19 emergency powers, the Wexford TD said that recent studies had shown that a vaccinated person "is every bit as likely to transmit this virus as a non-vaccinated person".
Ms Murphy accused the Government of scapegoating the unvaccinated and dividing society unnecessarily.
"Some of the language used by Government ministers over the last few weeks when talking about the unvaccinated have been very discriminatory and sinister," she said.
However, Ms Murphy was interrupted by the Minister for Health who accused her of spreading false information.
While he had been asked by the Leas-Cheann Comhairle to allow Ms Murphy to finish, Stephen Donnelly continued, "it's so damaging in terms of the anti-vax campaign".
According to a study published in the Lancet Infectious Diseases last week, coronavirus vaccines lower the risk of infection but the virus can still be transmitted in the household.
It stated: "Vaccination reduces the risk of delta variant infection and accelerates viral clearance. Nonetheless, fully vaccinated individuals with breakthrough infections have peak viral load similar to unvaccinated cases and can efficiently transmit infection in household settings, including to fully vaccinated contacts."
Last week Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan warned fully vaccinated people that there are still risks involved with getting Covid-19 "even if those risks are substantially reduced".
Ms Murphy rejected the criticism from Mr Donnelly, telling the Dáil that there was "nothing anti-vax about" what she was saying.
Ms Murphy said that some of her constituents were unable to take a vaccine.
"The stupidity of telling people they can attend weddings without certs and the same people then cannot actually go out and go to a restaurant the next day because they're being labelled as unvaccinated," she said.
Ms Murphy also criticised the Government for not making more use of antigen testing.
