Hildegarde Naughton (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I support my colleague, Senator Ivana Bacik, in her call for a debate on the issue of domestic violence.

I also raise the issue of a vaccine for meningitis, which was raised by Senator Sean D. Barrett. Ireland has the highest incidence of meningitis in Europe. Ms Siobhán Carroll who founded the campaign group Act for Meningitis, with her husband Noel - they are from Oranmore, County Galway and sadly lost their four year old daughter Aoibhe to meningitis in 2008 - has welcomed the moves made in England in this regard. The national immunisation advisory committee has recommended similar measures be put in place here and the Department is looking at a cost-effective agreement with the manufacturer. I concur with my colleague, Senator Colm Burke, on the need to bring down the cost of medications and welcome the negotiations that are taking place.