Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I raised an issue on Tuesday last and I do so again today because of its importance. I refer to the increase in the number of cases of meningitis that is causing huge worry for parents, particularly because a number of children have unfortunately passed away as a result of meningitis in recent weeks. I am sure that I speak for everybody in this House when I say that we send our deepest sympathy to the families affected at this very difficult time. We know that meningitis is a horrible condition and is one that all parents fear, myself included, as the father of young children.

I am sure the Tánaiste is no different.

It is a cause of major justified concern and distress that the meningitis B vaccine is not available for children. The programme for Government commits to extending the childhood vaccination programme to include vaccination against meningitis B, which was done but only for children born after October 2016. For children born before that date, availing of the vaccine costs up to €450. The vaccination is not available for free for parents whose children have medical cards. The Tánaiste knows as well as I that the cost of the vaccine is a considerable sum which most parents simply cannot afford, particularly if they have more than one child. This means that the vast majority of children over the age of three are not vaccinated against meningitis B, which is worrying for those of us who want to eradicate the strain.

It is also worrying for parents that general practitioners, GPs, have stated that they have been inundated with calls about the vaccine in recent days and weeks. Dr. Maitiú Ó Tuathail, the president of the National Association of General Practitioners, went as far as to stated that this amounted to medical apartheid. He is spot on in that regard. The situation is such that those whose parents can afford to pay are vaccinated and protected whereas those whose parents cannot afford the cost are left vulnerable to the disease. This leads to significant stress and anxiety on the part of parents because of the choices they face. I appreciate that meningitis B has not been identified as the cause of the reported deaths but it has been identified among the cases notified to the HSE.

If making the vaccine available to all children can be done, then this should and must happen. Is consideration being given to what the tens of thousands of parents, as well as thousands of GPs, across the State are calling for, namely, to ensure that a catch-up programme for meningitis B vaccination is put in place for all children up to the age of 18 in order to ensure that our children are protected from the strain? This was done in respect of meningitis C and, therefore, surely there can be no reason, except lack of political will, that we cannot do it for meningitis B.

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