Paudge Connolly (Cavan-Monaghan, Independent)
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Question 140: To ask the Minister for Health and Children her views on the diminution in the numbers of children who receive the mumps, measles and rubella vaccination; her proposals to address this issue; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37253/06]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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The MMR vaccine protects against measles, mumps and rubella and, in accordance with the recommendations of the Immunisation Advisory Committee of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland, can be administered to children between 12-15 months of age. A vaccine uptake rate of 95% is required in order to protect children from the diseases concerned and to stop the spread of the diseases in the community. Measles, in particular, is a highly infectious and serious disease; approximately 1 in 15 children who contract measles suffer serious complications.

In Ireland, uptake of the first dose of the Measles, Mumps and Rubella vaccine (MMR1) is calculated on a quarterly basis among children of 24 months of age. The quarterly reports on national vaccine uptake are collated by the Health Protection Surveillance Centre in accordance with international standards. These reports include the percentage of children reaching 24 months of age who have received measles mumps and rubella vaccine (MMR) The uptake rate for MMR at 24 months has increased from a low of 69% in 2001 to 84% in 3rd quarter 2005. This figure increased to 88% for 4th quarter 2005 — however this did not include figures from HSE Eastern region due to technical problems. The figure for MMR uptake 1st quarter 2006 was 86% which includes an estimate for HSE Eastern region (82%) and is a more accurate figure. MMR uptake rates vary from 82% HSE Eastern region to 95% HSE Midlands.

I am concerned about the unsatisfactory MMR immunisation uptake rates because of the risk of unimmunised children contracting the potentially serious diseases concerned. The outbreak of measles in 2000, which resulted in approximately 2,000 cases and 3 deaths, is evidence of the consequences of insufficient immunisation uptake. However, I am encouraged by the fact that the immunisation uptake rates are improving.

I have been informed that the HSE is taking the following actions to address the deficit between the actual and the target vaccination uptake rate: the HSE will collate uptake rates by Local Health Offices to allow targeted interventions in areas of low uptake; updated immunisation booklets containing information on all childhood vaccines will be printed for distribution to all parents; information relating to all aspects of immunisation will be updated regularly on the HSE immunisation website www.immunisation.ie; research is under way in HSE Eastern region to ask parents why children are not vaccinated; a National Immunisation registry is planned which will allow more accurate and timely collation of vaccine uptake; and the HSE has proposed to put in place a Measles Eradication Plan beginning in 2007 to meet the WHO target of eliminating Measles worldwide by 2010 to which Ireland is a signatory.

I would like to take this opportunity to urge all parents to have their children immunised against the diseases covered by the childhood immunisation programme in order to ensure that both their children and the population generally have maximum protection against the diseases concerned.