Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Senators Craughwell, Conway-Walsh and Colm Burke raised the issue of the HPV vaccine. I have no issue with arranging a debate on the matter as former Chairman of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Health and Children that carried out a substantial piece of work. I do not wish to denigrate or take lightly the concerns and views that were expressed this afternoon in the House by the Senators, or the views expressed by the families. Cervical cancer is a killer and its prevalence is growing in the female population, in particular among young women. There has been a lot of misinformation on the vaccination programme. The vaccine, and vaccination in general, prevents the risk of cancer; a fact we must underline in our approach.