Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly has signed a regulation, allowing for the Covid-19 vaccine to be administered in Ireland.
After signing the regulation last night, Mr Donnelly said he was "delighted" to report the first delivery of the Pfizer/BioNTech jab is due to arrive in Ireland on St Stephen's Day.
The first Covid vaccine to be given in the Republic is now expected to take place on Wednesday, December 30th.
This comes after a draft timeline by the HSE said the vaccination process will begin in a small number of nursing homes on January 11th.
The Pfizer/BioNTech shot is delivered in two doses, spaced about three weeks apart.
According to the HSE draft, smaller nursing homes, with less than 30 residents will be able to be vaccinated within a single day by a team of four vaccinators who will then return three weeks late to administer the second dose.
People over 65 resident in long-term care facilities will be the first to receive the vaccine, followed by frontline healthcare workers.
In the New Year, the Government has said Ireland will receive 40,000 doses each week during January and February.
