Deirdre Clune (Fine Gael)

I thank the Minister of State for coming to the House to respond to this matter which concerns Pandemrix, a vaccine given to many because of concerns about the effects of swine flu. There are some concerns that a number of children and adolescents have since developed narcolepsy, a neurological sleeping disorder caused by the brain's inability to regulate sleep and waking cycles in a normal fashion. There is no cure and symptoms include excessive daytime sleepiness, sudden loss of muscular and postural tone, vivid hallucinations during sleep or after waking and brief episodes of total paralysis at the beginning or end of sleep.

There has been some media coverage of this issue and I was concerned to hear yesterday that the Finnish Government had accepted there was a link between the vaccination and narcolepsy. Some 79 children and adolescents were affected in Finland, some 12 times the number expected to be affected. Has the attitude of the Government changed? There was an investigation and the matter is being examined. I acknowledge that the young people affected have been given medical cards, but a decision must be made on the support required. The investigation must reach a point where the level of support required by the children and young people concerned — as well as their families — should be established. While there have been meetings with officials from the Department of Education and Skills, there has been no provision of support since. Young people need education supports, particularly given the symptoms mentioned.

Having conducted some research on the Internet, some five months ago, on 21 July, the European Medicines Agency, given the circumstances, recommended the restricted use of Pandemrix. It is a major concern for healthy and high functioning children as, according to their parents, their lives have been completely changed following the administration of the vaccine. Any person in the country would be concerned about this issue. We must establish the facts and how the young people concerned can be supported, even leaving aside the link with the vaccine.

We all remember the swine flu scare. I acknowledge the response of the health service at the time in administering the vaccine. Nevertheless, there is a question mark over the vaccine. It is estimated that 35 young people have been diagnosed with narcolepsy since the scare. I do not know if it is connected with the vaccine, but for the sake of everybody in the country, particularly the children and young people concerned and their families, we must establish the facts and support these families in whatever way we possibly can.