Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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Question 243: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the way a family with a 14 year old daughter can avail of the cervical cancer vaccine in view of the fact the child involved is currently a second year student; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14609/10]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Independent)
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There are two vaccines licensed in Ireland to prevent HPV infection. Cervarix was licensed in September 2006 and Gardasil was licensed in September 2007 and these are both available privately through GPs or private health clinics. In January of this year, I announced the commencement of a national public HPV vaccination programme for girls who are currently in first year in secondary school. This will involve the free vaccination of up to 30,000 girls mainly in school settings and an announcement of the details of the full programme involved will be made by the HSE in the near future. The programme will continue with vaccine being offered to all girls in first year in secondary school each year. It is not proposed to extend the public vaccination programme beyond that.