Concerns have been expressed that "ludicrous" HSE plans to limit the opening hours of 32 swine flu vaccination clinics around the country could seriously undermine vaccine take up rates.

Speaking in Government Buildings last Thursday, the HSE's head of health protection, Dr Kevin Kelleher, said the clinics will be open from 9-5pm, five days a week. They will provide vaccines to "at risk" people who cannot get this from their local GP.

The HSE says that over 1,800 GPs have signed up to administer the vaccine. However, this means that approximately one third of all GPs have not. But Stephen McMahon of the Irish Patients Association said the "ludicrous" opening hours could act as a significant disincentive in promoting take up. He called for extended opening hours to include weekends and early morning or late evenings.

"People could lose up to half a day's work by the time they have got to the place, queued up and then got back to work. This is a lifesaving programme ... every effort should be made to ensure it enables those who are fortunate enough to be working to continue to work," he said.

"I think 9-5 for five days a week is fine for normal circumstances. But these are abnormal circumstances."

David Hughes, deputy general secretary of the Irish Nurses Organisation (INO), said his members were used to working non-traditional hours and would be willing to do so. He said the organisation understands that around 1,000 nurses will be taken out of the mainstream health system to help administer the vaccine. But he said the INO is extremely concerned after it was told by HSE management that it will not be possible to bring in extra staff to cover these absences due to funding difficulties.

"Our issue is that these nurses are already looking after people. If you take a community nurse, for example, they will already be looking after patients who are health impaired in the community.

"It's an impossible situation .... They have to make a choice between the nursing patients they are currently attending, and administering the vaccine to the public."

A HSE spokeswoman declined to say if it will consider changing the clinic opening hours. "Details of the HSE's vaccination clinics will be announced in advance of 2 November," she said.

Rates of influenza infection here almost doubled last week to 158.8 cases per 100,000 of the population. On Friday, a teenager in the east became the ninth person to die of swine flu in the state.