Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 1 October 2025
188. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health to list all vaccinations which are either legally required or recommended to be administered to children before they reach the age of majority; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52320/25]
View answerThe immunisation programme in Ireland is based on the advice of the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC). The committee's recommendations are based on the prevalence of the relevant disease in Ireland and international best practice in relation to immunisation.
The ages at which vaccines are recommended in the immunisation schedule are recommended by NIAC in order to give each child the best possible protection against vaccine preventable diseases.
In Ireland, immunisation is optional and is offered free of charge to eligible at-risk groups as part of the National Immunisation Programme.
NIAC continues to revise recommendations to allow for the introduction of new vaccines in Ireland and to keep abreast of changes in the patterns of disease. It also considers emerging evidence and therefore the immunisation schedule will continue to be amended over time.
An RSV Infant Immunisation Programme is underway throughout Winter 2025-2026. This immunisation will offer protection ahead of the seasonal upsurge in infection with RSV.
The immunisation will be offered to:
• babies born between 1 September 2025 and 28 February 2026
• babies who are six months old or younger on 1 September
• premature babies (born before 30 weeks gestation or less than 1.25kg at birth) and other higher risk infants (due to underlying medical conditions) born during RSV season.
The Primary Childhood Vaccination programme protects young infants against 14 different infectious diseases.
Vaccine Schedule for Babies Born On or After 1 October 2024
|
Age |
Recommended Vaccine |
|
2 months |
6 in 1 vaccine PCV (pneumococcal conjugate vaccine) MenB (meningococcal B) vaccine Rotavirus oral vaccine |
|
4 months |
6 in 1 vaccine MenB vaccine Rotavirus oral vaccine |
|
6 months |
6 in 1 vaccine PCV |
|
12 months |
MMR (measles mumps rubella) MenB vaccine Chickenpox (varicella) vaccine |
|
13 months |
6 in 1 vaccine MenC vaccine PCV |
|
4 to 5 Years |
4 in 1 vaccine - diphtheria, polio, tetanus and pertussis (whooping cough) MMRV (measles mumps rubella) and chickenpox (varicella) combined vaccine. |
|
12 to 14 Years |
HPV (human papillomavirus vaccine) Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria and whooping cough booster) MenACWY (meningococcal A, C, W and Y vaccine) |
In addition, the influenza vaccine is also available free of charge to children aged 2-17 years during the winter season.
More information is available at www.immunisation.ie.
