Questions

581. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health to confirm that the estimate for immunisation has increased from €10,788,000 in 2025 to €54,377,000 in 2026 in the Revised Estimates for Public Services under primary care reimbursement services (details supplied); the cause for this increase in immunisation spend; the services or costs which fall under this increased allocation; whether any budget has been allocat…

90. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health whether, in response to HIQA and NIAC advice supporting the roll-out of enhanced influenza vaccines for the over-65 population, HSE officials have been given direction to negotiate with companies, if necessary, to ensure a cost effective price can be secured and enhanced influenza vaccines will for the first time be provided for older people who are more at risk eac…

113. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if she will provide details of plans for vaccination roll-out for the forthcoming influenza season; the additional measures, compared to previous years, that will be in place to help keep members of the over-65 population safe; if HIQA and NIAC advice supporting enhanced vaccines for the over-65 population has been considered and will be acted upon; and if she will…

594. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health the percentage of the health budget and respective amounts allocated to expanding/enhancing immunisation programmes in 2024 and 2025; the plans to increase this figure in Budget 2026; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49735/25]

595. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if a decision was made by her Department or the HSE to halt expansion and/or enhancement of immunisation programmes in 2024 and 2025; the reasons for such a decision; the plans to expand or enhance immunisation programmes in 2026; if a related budgetary increase is planned; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49736/25]

3258. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if consideration will be given to putting in place a three year programme for shingles vaccination to be made available to people over 65 and/or immunocompromised people, given that the shingles vaccine is currently not available on a national immunisation programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44144/25]

3259. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if consideration would be given to the putting in place of a shingles vaccination programme to be made available to people over 65 and/or immunocompromised people, in view that shingles vaccination is recommended by NIAC those over 65 and/or the immunocompromised between 18-49; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44145/25]

3260. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if consideration would be given to the putting in place of a targeted shingles vaccination programme to be made available to people over 65 and/or immunocompromised people, in view that 13 countries in Europe have funded shingles vaccination programmes and Ireland is currently an outlier in Europe; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44146/25]

3261. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if consideration would be given to the putting in place of a shingles vaccination programme to be made available to people over 65 and/or immunocompromised people, in view that there is an inequity issue in Ireland between those who can afford to buy vaccine for shingles privately and those who cannot; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44147/25]

3262. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if consideration would be given to the putting in place of a targeted shingles vaccination programme to be made available to people over 65 and/or immunocompromised people, in order to reduce the instances of those who contract shingles being hospitalised, thus reducing the number of hospital/accident and emergency admissions; and if she will make a statement on t…

3263. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health the progress that has been made to date in respect of the implementation of the current National Immunisation Advisory Committee recommendations for older adult vaccination against influenza, pneumococcal disease, shingles, and respiratory syncytial virus, in view that a 2024 report commissioned by GSK Ireland, from the Office of Health Economics, estimated that f…

822. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health whether the commitment in the new National Sexual Health Strategy 2025-2035 to expand access to existing vaccination programmes in "private settings" includes pharmacy-based vaccination; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37479/25]

823. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health whether the commitment in the new National Sexual Health Strategy 2025-2035 to prioritise increased free access to current and future vaccines protecting sexual health will include implementing the NIAC recommendation to provide the HPV vaccine to unvaccinated women under 45 years old who have been treated for CIN lesions, ideally within 48 months of treatment; and…

829. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health to outline details of the recent move of the National Immunisation Advisory Committee from the Royal College of Physicians to the Health Information and Quality Authority; the impact this development will have on the speed at which vaccines could be added to the national immunisation programme bearing in mind it currently takes on average six years; and if she will…

830. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if, arising from the recent move of the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC) from the Royal College of Physicians to the Health Information and Quality Authority, there will be an increase in the budget and extra resources allocated to NIAC as a consequence of this move; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35996/25]

831. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if, arising from the recent move of the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC) from the Royal College of Physicians to the Health Information and Quality Authority, NIAC will remain an independent committee with the ability to define its own work programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35997/25]

1465. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if her Department is aware of an academic study (details supplied) that shows increased public health benefits, including increased vaccine coverage rates, in France, following the decision of the French government to legislate for the HPV vaccine to be administered in pharmacies; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29789/25]

1469. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health for an update on the development of a vaccine alliance, aimed at boosting the uptake of childhood vaccines and reducing vaccine hesitancy, which was first launched by the then-Minster for Health in September 2019 (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29793/25]

264. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health the position in respect of the supply and delivery of enhanced inactivated influenza vaccines for older people for the winter season 2025-2026 as the HSE have now withdrawn from the tendering process for enhanced vaccine for this period; whether the HSE will reopen discussions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14557/25]