Catherine Byrne (Dublin South Central, Fine Gael)

As a parent of four daughters, I am constantly reminded of the deficiencies in health services. In my own area, many young people have died through drug addiction, suicide and cancers of all forms. Last week's announcement by the Minister of the postponement of the commencement of a cervical cancer vaccination programme for 12 year old girls is beyond belief. It is only four months since the Minister announced that the vaccination programme would commence in September 2009. However, she has now discovered she does not have the €9.9 million needed to operate the scheme. How has the Minister, given her many years of experience in the Dáil, allowed this to happen? The health of children is not a budgetary matter. What about the long-terms savings arising from this programme as a result of fewer women requiring hospital treatment for cervical cancer? This is the worst type of penny-pinching.

I welcome the roll-out of the screening programme for young women, but it is not enough. The priority should be prevention, via a vaccination programme. This U-turn represents a major step backwards for young girls, many of whom are unaware of the risks and dangers associated with cervical cancer. It is the eighth most frequently diagnosed cancer in the State, with some 200 new cases diagnosed every year and 70 to 80 women dying from the disease. This vaccine was due to be given to more than 26,000 children between the ages of ten and 12 next September. This would have reduced the risk of these young girls developing cervical cancer by 70%. In the absence of this vaccination programme, deaths will occur which could have been prevented.

As a parent and on behalf of parents throughout the State, I urge the Minister to overturn this decision. The MMR vaccine, the meningitis vaccine and even the flu vaccine have led to significant reductions in those illnesses. The cervical cancer vaccine would have an equally successful impact and cannot be shelved. If the Government fails to introduce this vaccination programme, it will leave the less well-off in our society, who will be unable to afford the approximate €600 it will cost to obtain the vaccine privately, at a great disadvantage. I agree with my colleague, Deputy Mitchell, that the Minister should at least make the vaccine available to medical card recipients. My area of Dublin South-Central contains many pockets of disadvantage where parents will struggle even to afford the increased cost of bringing their children to accident and emergency departments. If the Government has the funding to include luxury drugs such as viagra in the medical card scheme, surely it can manage its finances adequately in order to proceed with a vaccination programme that will save lives.

I can only hope that none of my children develops cervical cancer in the future. It is every parent's worst fear. This is a short-sighted decision. The Minister, who is highly regarded and has been in the Oireachtas for many years, must reverse her decision.

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