The Health Minister Stephen Donnelly admits a new HSE portal to record positive antigen tests is open to misuse.
From Friday, people who test positive on an antigen test will be able to upload their result to the HSE website.
They are then considered a confirmed case.
People can also report their close contacts, who will be contacted in the same way they are now.
Minister Donnelly says the opening will be phased.
"The HSE portal, I'm delighted to be able to say, is going up tomorrow.
"It'll be phased in over the day - what it means is as of tomorrow, people will be able to directly upload their own positive antigen tests.
"They'll be able to upload their close contacts, their close contacts then get contacted in the same way that happens at the moment."
And he says he hopes people will do the right thing.
"I think, like most things in this pandemic, we are relying on people doing the right thing.
"And I think over the last two years what we've seen time and time again - in terms of people following the public health advice, doing so many different things - people have continually done the right thing.
"Is it open to a bit of play acting? It is, but I have no doubt - and certainly I was talking to the HSE team this morning on it, and they've reported that that has been the case and it is being used very responsibly by people".
However, people who enter positive results to the portal will not be eligible for a COVID-19 recovery certificate.
The HSE says in order to ensure misuse is limited, anyone wishing to obtain a recovery cert will need to get a PCR test or professionally administered antigen test.
Head of the vaccination programme, Damien McCallion, says this is not what the portal is for
"In any self-testing system, you're reliant on the person to give the information.
"It's important to remember... the purpose of it is so you can actually give the person the public health advice, identify the close contacts, give them public health advice and get them tested if necessary.
"So it isn't for any other purpose in effect.
"We did look at other measures you could put in place, but it would be very restrictive then.
"This is primarily for public health purposes".
Reporting by: Kacey O'Riordan
