The advice of the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (Niac) is to be sought on bringing forward the second dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine for the over-60s.

Labour Party leader Alan Kelly said he was amazed at the number of people in the 60-70 age category who were coming to him worried about a lower level of protection against the Indian variant.

He said the first jab of AstraZeneca conferred only 30pc protection, with the second jab to arrive up to 12 weeks later to provide a safety level of 80-90 per cent against contracting the variant.

Green Party leader Eamon Ryan said he would seek the advice of Niac but was not in favour personally of change, unless approved by it, because there had been a lot of change with AstraZeneca advice already.

Mr Kelly said the number of Covid-19 cases had increased in Limerick with 272 new cases diagnosed in the last week. As of last Friday there had been 73 cases of the B1.617.2 variant detected in Ireland, commonly known as the Indian variant.

“It is obviously something that's spreading,” he said. “The particular concern that has been raised with me by many people over the last week or two is to do with those who are due to get their second dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine, namely those in the 60-70 age cohort.

“The latest UK research data shows that two doses of AstraZeneca provide just under 60pc protection and for Pfizer 87.9pc. What is really worrying though is that the first dose of AstraZeneca only provides 30pc protection, according to this very credible UK study.

“And those who receive the AstraZeneca vaccine must wait at least 12 weeks to get their second dose. That's three months.”

Mr Kelly said it was an issue of serious concern because, of all the cohorts vaccinated, those in the 60-70 bracket would have the lowest level of protection and the longest waiting time for a follow-up dose.

“They will be at the greatest risk of ending up in hospital,” he said, noting that the UK has dropped the interval to eight weeks for the second dose of AstraZeneca to address a genuine concern.

He called on the Government to follow “what is going on in Britain, and shorten the waiting time for the second doses, or alternatively to offer the Pfizer vaccine as a second jab to boost their protection against the variant.

Mr Ryan said B1.617.1 was a particular concern, with 128 such cases in Ireland by last Friday, 89 being version 2 of the Indian variant and 39 cases of version 1.

On the suggestion made, to alter again the vaccine roll-out programme for those in their 60s, “we will have to defer to the public health advice,” he said.

“I'll be honest and say I’d be slightly concerned that we minimise the level of changes, unless there's a very clear public health argument in favour of it because the vaccination programme is working well now," Mr Ryan said.

“One of the real difficulties they've had is constant changes in the rollout programme, which makes it difficult for them, particularly with regard to the AstraZeneca vaccine — because we know that’s the one that's been most variable in terms of delivery.

“I will present the argument to the relevant experts but I can’t commit to taking up your advice.”