Ireland, along with the rest of the EU, is struggling with its vaccination programme which is lagging some way behind the UK and US.
After speaking with Joe Biden on Wednesday Micheál Martin claimed the president “doesn’t necessarily have a stockpile in the sense that he wants to find out will he have in time a sufficiency of vaccines for his own people”.
However on Thursday the US confirmed it will release seven million doses of the Oxford vaccine, which has yet to be approved for use in America.
White House press secretary Jen Psaki said: “I can confirm that we have seven million releasable doses of AstraZeneca”.
He added “2.5 million of these, we are working to finalise plans to lend to Mexico and 1.5 million to Canada”.
Around 10 percent of the Irish population have received at least one coronavirus vaccine sparking criticism at the slow pace of rollout.
By contrast the UK has jabbed over 25 million people, or half the adult population.
According to Mr Martin the US president indicated America will do more to assist other countries later in the year.
Referring to Mr Biden he said: “He’ll know later on, towards the summer, where he stands and then he’ll know how America can help others after that period.
“But that can go right to the beginning of summer before America will know in terms of having a sufficiency of supply for their own people to get their own people vaccinated and then consider the situation after that.”
Mr Martin spoke to the US president, who has Irish heritage, on Wednesday to mark St Patrick’s Day.
On Thursday the European Medicines Agency confirmed the Oxford vaccine is safe to use.
Its rollout was paused in several European countries, including Ireland, following concerns over a tiny number of blood clots.
The Irish government said it made the initial decision to suspend the vaccine “out of an abundance of caution”.
Dr Ronan Glynn, the Irish chief medical officer, said the country should announce whether to continue the rollout on Friday.
In total Ireland has recorded 228,796 coronavirus cases and 4,566 Covid related deaths since the pandemic began.
The US has given 22 percent of its population a coronavirus vaccine, with 12 percent having received both jabs.
Boris Johnson has confirmed the UK’s vaccine rollout will be affected by the delay of five million doses from the Serum Institute of India.
However he insists all pre-booked appointments will go ahead and the Government is still on track to offer the vaccine to the entire adult population by the end of July.
Speaking from Downing Street Mr Johnson said: “There is a delay as I have described, as there are very frequently in vaccine rollout programmes.
“The progress along the road to freedom remains unchecked.”
Adar Poonawalla, chief executive of the Serum Institute, said the company had been “directed to prioritise the huge needs of India”.
He also warned US export bans could be contributing to a shortage of key vaccine making components.
In a statement the Serum Institute commented: “Five million doses had been delivered a few weeks ago to the UK and we will try to supply more later, based on the current situation and the requirement for the government immunisation programme in India.”