Taoiseach Micheál Martin has ruled out the introduction of mandatory vaccination against Covid-19 in Ireland, saying he favours a voluntary approach.

“I fully respect that people will explore all issues and research them. But from my perspective we have achieved one of the highest rates [of vaccination] in the world through a voluntary system. That is the system that we will maintain,” he told reporters in Cork.

Mr Martin’s comments follows reports that National Public Health Emergency Team (Nphet) is to consider the issue, with a new paper being prepared by the Department of Health on the legal and ethical aspects of such a move.

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The Taoiseach said he was confident that further restrictions could be avoided.

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“That said, we want to give it another week or two. We haven’t peaked yet,” he said.

“Covid has had many twists and turns, but I am confident that if we maintain the same focus we can get through the wave.”

He added he was very conscious of the impact of the 8pm closure on the hospitality sector but does not foresee any immediate easing on the cut-off time.

His comments came as the Department of Health reported 23,909 new cases bringing the total recorded in Ireland to 1,002,013 since February 2020.

As of 8am on Monday, there were 1,063 patients in the country’s hospitals with the virus, with 89 of those in intensive care.

In Northern Ireland, the death of six patients who had previously tested positive for the virus and another 2,706 cases were notified on Monday.

Mr Martin said that while Nphet could “examine every issue”, Ireland had a very high rate of vaccination through a voluntary system.

“We have done extraordinarily well as a country. There is a 94 per cent vaccination rate for the first and second doses,” Mr Martin said.

“There is a 63 per cent rate for the booster. I think that speaks volumes for informing the public of the benefits of vaccination and also the robust debate that has taken place with strong medical and public health contributions - not just from officialdom but from those within the academic world, those involved in medicine who have been very, very clear about the benefits of vaccination,” Mr Martin said.

Earlier, senior Government sources strongly pushed back on the idea of mandatory vaccination.

“This will never be on the table for the Government,” said one high-ranking source.

Other sources agreed that with among the highest vaccination rates in the world, the voluntary approach was already working well in Ireland. “Why would we even consider this?”

According to Nphet minutes, details of which were published by The Irish Times on Monday, the issue of mandatory vaccination will be discussed once the Department of Health had produced a paper on the issue.

Among other EU countries, Austria has announced it will introduce mandatory vaccination, while the measure is also under consideration in Germany.

Mr Martin said it was “vital” people continued to support the vaccination programme.

‘Twists and turns’

“There are still people out there who could get vaccinated and who haven’t got the booster yet.

“It is very, very important that they get the booster - that’s the key measure that people can take to prevent themselves from being hospitalised or being admitted to ICU.”

He added that he fully respected and understood the pressures that many different sectors of the economy are under but emphasised that we need to “keep the pressure on the virus.”

“We have to ensure that it does not spread too widely, too quickly.”

Also on Monday, chief medical officer Dr Tony Holohan encouraged parents and their children to avail of the Covid-19 vaccination programme.

“Getting your child vaccinated is a decision between you and your child,” he said in a statement.

“I would encourage all parents and guardians to discuss this update to our vaccination programme with your child and ensure that they are aware that vaccination is available to them.”

“Most children will experience a very mild form of this disease, for a small few, they may become severely ill. The Covid-19 vaccines are doing an excellent job of preventing severe illness and disease in those who are fully vaccinated.”