Paschal Mooney (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I have raised on several occasions now the issue of the suffering endured by girls who have been administered the Gardasil and Cervarix HPV vaccines. Without seeking to extend the debate at this stage, I draw Members' attention to a report in the Irish Independentby Eilish O'Regan, that newspaper's health correspondent and a very able and well-respected journalist. I was very disappointed to see the headline of that article, "27 girls report abnormal symptoms after receiving the cervical cancer vaccine," because, unfortunately for the paper and its reporter, it is wildly inaccurate. In fact, 120 girls are suffering as a result of having the vaccine. I also am concerned that the report does not give any indication of the attention that has been given to this issue, not only by Members of this House but also by colleagues in the Dáil. Only this week, the Minister for Health, Deputy Leo Varadkar, was in this Chamber to take a Commencement matter tabled by me on the issue before, later in the day, answering a similar matter in the names of several Deputies in the Dáil. There is no reference to these proceedings in the Irish Independentreport and no hint that the Houses of the Oireachtas have taken a keen interest in the issue.

If Members have not already done so, I advise them to consult the website of the support group, REGRET, which will help them to inform themselves about this growing controversy - which is affecting girls worldwide, not just in Ireland - and learn more about the concerns regarding the side effects and efficacy of the vaccine. I understand REGRET has been in touch with the Irish Independentto request that Ms O'Regan's report be updated. I am delighted to see her taking up this issue, because the rest of the national media seem to be silent on it. It is unfortunate, however, that the headline was not more stark and more accurate, reflecting the reality that 120 girls, not 27, are affected by this.

Senator Feargal Quinn and I have jousted on more than one occasion, in parliamentary terms, on the issue of fracking. We have since agreed to disagree on it. I welcome the comments by my colleague, Senator Marc MacSharry, on this important issue. I certainly welcome the people who are travelling from Leitrim and elsewhere in the north west today to inform Members of both Houses about the fracking issue. It is a very regionalised issue that does not affect people in large areas of the country. Tourism is the backbone of the economy in my county of Leitrim and in the north west in general, and any actions which might upset the very sensitive environmental balance of the region must be opposed. We are primarily a lakeland area and, as we know, millions of gallons of water are required for fracking activities. I join Senator MacSharry in reiterating my complete opposition to fracking, which is in line with Fianna Fáil policy.