Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy O’Connell for raising this extremely important issue and giving me the opportunity to update the House on the matter. I am taking this on behalf of the Minister for Health, Deputy Simon Harris.

The announcement by the World Health Organization concerning the increase in measles outbreaks in Europe has brought this issue to the attention of the media and the wider public. However, we were already aware of the issue and had been taking appropriate response measures. The European Centres for Disease Prevention and Control, ECDC, issued a rapid risk assessment concerning the risk of spread of measles and sustained transmission in EU countries related to an ongoing outbreak in Romania on 3 March 2017. It noted measles outbreaks in a number of EU countries in 2016 and the continued increase in the number of cases this year. It also noted that outbreaks in three other EU countries have been linked to the current one in Romania.

Actions have been taken at both EU and national level. The EU Health Security Committee met on 10 March to discuss the outbreaks and to ensure a co-ordinated response across member states. The ECDC continues to monitor the situation and can provide technical assistance to the member states if needed. The health system in Ireland is aware of the outbreak and has put in place measures to identify any threat and treat any cases.

The HSE health protection surveillance centre circulated an update on 28 March to departments of public health as well as general practitioners, consultants in infectious diseases, emergency medicine and microbiology and other health professionals. This notification provided an update on the risk of measles in Europe and the risk of importation into Ireland, and reminded health professionals of what to do if they encounter suspected cases of measles.

The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control's rapid risk assessment noted that immunisation is the only effective preventative measure against acquiring measles. Immunisation against measles was introduced in Ireland in 1985 and from 1988 onwards, the MMR vaccine was used to replace the single measles vaccine. The vaccine is included in the primary childhood immunisation programme, with the first dose given at 12 months and the second dose given at between four and five years of age. It can also be given at any age to those who need it for travel for work or to protect vulnerable children or adults.

Immunisation rates in Ireland remain high. Vaccination rates for MMR at 24 months were 93% in 2015 and have been above 90% since 2008. I note the Deputy's point in this regard. The MMR vaccination rate is slightly lower than 95%, standing at 92% in the third quarter of 2015. Vaccination rates fell when links between MMR and autism were first reported in the 1990s. At that time, people falsely linked the development of autism with MMR but, as the Deputy noted, these claims have been fully discredited.

More than 500 million doses of MMR have been used in more than 90 countries around the world since the early 1970s. The World Health Organization recognises MMR as a highly effective vaccine with an outstanding safety record. Although uptake rates are high, we must not be complacent. A number of imported cases of measles were recorded in Ireland last year. The only protection against the condition is vaccination and I encourage all children, teenagers and young adults who have not been immunised with MMR to protect themselves by getting this important vaccine. I concur with Deputy O'Connell that all public representatives must play their part in ensuring people get this message.

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