Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)

The BCG vaccine was last available in the middle of October last year. I was advised by the HSE on 3 December last that a new stock of vaccines would not become available until mid-February. I understand, however, that vaccines may not be available until the end of March, if even then, while tens of thousands of children are waiting on vaccinations and being potentially exposed to tuberculosis, TB, infection. Upwards of 50,000 newborn children could be exposed.

Eliminating the scourge of tuberculosis was one of the greatest achievements of Dr. Noel Browne as Minister for Health. At that time, approximately 60 years ago, the BCG vaccine first became widely used and it became central to the practical elimination of the disease in Ireland. As early as 29 March 2007, the Minister for Health and Children acknowledged an acute shortage of the vaccine in the House. The shortage came about as a result of problems with three vaccine shipments towards the end of 2006. The shortage was then described by the Minister as "temporary".

Until recently, the BCG vaccine was recommended for all newborn babies and it is usually administered to children during a short window between birth and the age of one month. Newborn babies have a natural immunisation up to the age of 12 weeks but after that they are exposed to infection by TB and other diseases. If there are significant vaccine shortages or delays, the possibilities for administering the vaccine during this 12-week period are greatly diminished. The first symptoms may not appear for up to 15 years, during which the infection can be passed on and this is of obvious concern to parents. The HSE has run several high profile campaigns to encourage greater immunisation. However, parents are completely confused as to what is the position and this calls into question the HSE's credibility. There is a risk of undoing all the good work undertaken on immunisation in recent years.

The incidence of TB in Ireland has been low for several decades but it has not been eradicated. There is no need to be alarmist about the possibility of a new TB pandemic, but we do not have a reason to be complacent. There have been isolated outbreaks of the disease in the recent past, for instance in Cork last year, while the incidence of TB infection has increased year on year in each of the past five years. The last dedicated TB hospital in the State, in Peamount, County Dublin, has been closed and that was a controversial decision.

Parents are understandably concerned about the lack of vaccines. The fact that the risk of infection is low is understood but they should be kept informed about what is happening. The Minister and the HSE have known about these problems for long enough. There is no good reason, a year after this came to light, the issue has not been resolved. I ask the Minister to get to grips with this as soon as possible to ensure no more children are put at risk.

It is emerging that the HSE's policy is to suspend BCG vaccinations. While there may be good reasons for that, parents and grandparents expect the vaccination for their newborn babies. They are being repeatedly informed about a continuous shortage of vaccines but they read in newspapers about cases of exposure to TB that must be addressed. Many immigrants are entering the State, some of whom come from countries with a higher incidence of TB. It is an extremely confusing scenario. The HSE needs to clarify whether there is a shortage of the BCG vaccine, which will be addressed given that the executive obtains all its supplies from one source, or whether a change in policy is under way by stealth whereby the State is moving away from BGC vaccination. If so, parents and public representatives need to be advised about what exactly is happening.

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