Parents are being urged to consider the flu vaccination with walk-in clinics for children operating around the country this week.
Details of the clinics, offering nasal spray vaccines to 2 to 17 year olds, are available on the HSE's website.
The health service says number of flu cases are rising this month, with 631 reported during the second week of December, compared to 283 the previous week.
Consultant in Public Health Medicine, Dr Aparna Keegan, says children shouldn't feel any pain from the nasal spray vaccine, adding "it's a really good experience for the child and it offers them the best protection against flu this winter".
