Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail)

I thank the Senator. Vaccination is one of the most cost-effective and successful public health interventions that exist. It is quite discouraging to see so many people sceptical about vaccines. There is never scepticism about a new curative drug and instead people say, "Please, we need this drug as soon as possible." With a vaccine, people are hesitant and say they do not know what is wrong with that.

When you look at the statistics, it is incredible how many lives have been saved. Cervical cancer, for example, will end because of the vaccination programme. With all the immunisation that has happened since 2010, all those young women, and then young men who started it at a later point as well, will be immunised. There are so many other examples as well.

The immunisation programme in Ireland is science based. All of this is science based. The Senator has outlined science as well. We have this national immunisation advisory committee. The recommendations are based on the prevalence of the disease and international best practice. It is vital that this be robust and fit for purpose and that is why this health technology assessment is so important. The outcome will inform the Government decision on this.

I agree with the Senator. I implore parents to get their child vaccinated if the child is eligible. We can see the hospital admissions reducing and, more importantly, children not dying, but also massive pressure on the hospital system not being there because of this. Vaccinations, in this area like so many others, have had such a positive impact. We need parents to get their child vaccinated against RSV. It will be something that their child will be grateful that their parent did.