Catherine Byrne (Dublin South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I apologise on behalf of the Minister of State, Deputy Daly. He is in a committee. The Minister, Deputy Harris, is at the Cabinet meeting. I am standing in today. I thank Senator Clifford-Lee on behalf of the Minister and the Minister of State. I know how important this Commencement matter is to the Senator. I will read the written reply and then come back in at the end.

Immunisation is a safe and effective way to protect children against serious diseases. The national or primary childhood immunisation, PCI, programme covers immunisations between birth and 13 months of age. Immunisations covered by the programme are free of charge and administered by general practitioners within their clinics. The PCI programme provides immunisation against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, haemophilus influenzae type B, hepatitis B, pneumococcal disease, meningitis C, measles, mumps, rubella, meningitis B, and rotavirus.

Chickenpox is a common childhood infection. In most cases, the symptoms are mild and complications arising from it are rare. It should also be noted that all children develop immunity to chickenpox after infection. However, the side effects of the disease can be more severe in adults. Certain groups of people are at greater risk of serious complications from chickenpox. These include people who have weakened immune systems through illness, such as HIV, or through treatment, such as chemotherapy. Chickenpox can also cause a range of serious birth defects, as well as severe disease, when a pregnant woman catches the infection. Where a child has chickenpox, their school, nursery or day care should be informed as there may be other children who need to inform their GP that they have been exposed. They should be kept out of school until the last blister has burst and crusted over. This usually takes five to six days after the rash first appears. In 2017, 105 hospitalised cases of chickenpox were notified, most of which were in the group up to four years of age. Males and females were similarly affected.

The chickenpox vaccine, known as VARIVAX, provides protection against the varicella zoster virus that causes chickenpox and is not part of the routine childhood vaccination schedule. The vaccine is only offered to children who are particularly vulnerable to chickenpox. VARIVAX is also known as varicella virus vaccine live. It is a live virus vaccine that is given as an injection. VARIVAX works by helping to protect the immune system from getting chickenpox. VARIVAX is given to people who are 12 months old or older. If the chickenpox vaccine is required, two doses are given with four to eight weeks between doses. The chickenpox vaccine, however, should not be given to pregnant women.

Although the vaccine is not part of the routine childhood immunisation schedule, it is in other countries such as the US and Germany. In Ireland, the national immunisation advisory committee, NIAC, makes recommendations on vaccine policy. These recommendations are based on the epidemiology of diseases in Ireland and international best practice in respect of immunisation. The effectiveness and potential of the chickenpox vaccine and other vaccines to be included in the national childhood immunisation programme are kept under continual review by the advisory committee, the Department of Health, and the HSE. The most recent additions to the programme were the meningococcal B disease, MenB, vaccine and the rotavirus disease oral vaccine, which were included in 2016. I will come back on some points. I am sorry about the mispronunciation of some of these medical terms. They are not my favourite.