The first 30,000 doses of the swine flu vaccine are expected to arrive in Ireland next week, the Health Service Executive confirmed this evening.
The vaccines, supplied by the pharmaceutical firm Baxter, will not be available for use until they are officially licensed, Dr Kevin Kelleher, assistant national director of health protection told a press briefing at Government Buildings.
Around 200,000 doses of the vaccine have been delivered by the same company for use in the UK. UK authorities said today the licensing process may take until early October.
A further 13 people were hospitalised with swine flu in the past week, according to latest figures from the Department of Health.
Speaking at the briefing, the Department's chief medical officer Dr Tony Holohan said that 75 people had been hospitalised to date with pandemic H1N1 flu, up from 62 a week ago.
He said 40 per cent of those hospitalised to date have had an underlying condition.
Overall, he said, 21 people remain in hospital and four of these remain in intensive care.
But he stressed rates of infection in the Republic remain relatively stable. In the seven days up to last Sunday, the GP consultation rate for influenza like illness decreased to 33.4 per 100,000 people from a rate of 38.8 a week earlier.
Dr Kelleher also said detailed information had been sent to schools on swine flu before they reopen and additional advice for schools, third level colleges, creches, parents and those with underlying conditions was available on its website at www.swineflu.ie