Colm Burke (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank all the witnesses for their presentations and for the work they have done over many years. Social media, which has been touched briefly during this debate, is a major influencer. When false information is given in the print media, it can be corrected reasonably quickly. There is a great deal of incorrect information on social media and it is difficult to correct it. We need to take a new approach to social media when vaccines are being rolled out. Has there been engagement with those who have expertise in social media to try to deal with this aspect?

A second issue is the need to engage with major influencers. A motion on the HPV vaccine was recently passed at a teachers' union conference. Have there been engagement with the teachers' unions, which are major influencers? I was appalled by the fact that a motion was passed because no medical expertise was offered to the conference before the decision was taken. Has there been engagement with that union since the motion was passed? What information will be given to members of that union in respect of the vaccine?

Third, I am working with transition year students in a school who are involved in a project called Young Social Innovators. The final is on today. Out of 400 projects submitted, it is down to the final 11 today, which includes the school I have worked with. I was impressed by the work of the students and the teachers. Can more be done to engage with young people because they are major influencers? I was mesmerised by the volume of information that the students in the school I worked with were able to put together. It was a detailed project, which will end up having a major influence on other young people because of the results they have achieved. There should be more engagement with young people on the HPV vaccine because they can influence people. The transition year students involved in this project can influence younger students entering secondary school. Has this been considered?

I thank Dr. Butler for the facts sheet relating to measles. I have not seen that information previously. There were 10,000 cases in 1980 but there were only 43 cases in 2016. That information needs to be publicised in respect of the success of immunisation and vaccines. More needs to be done with public representatives and people in the education sector in this regard. Has a programme been devised to publicise that information? That would be effective where there is a debate within a school on the matter.