Séamus Kirk (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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434. To ask the Minister for Health the reason the vaccination for chicken pox is not part of the routine childhood vaccination programme; and his plans for it to be included in the programme. [40176/14]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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The immunisation programme in Ireland is based on the advice of the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC). The NIAC is a committee of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland comprising of experts in a number of specialties including infectious diseases, paediatrics and public health. The committee's recommendations are informed by public health advice, international best practice and by the National Centre for Pharmacoeconomics (NCPE).

The current guidelines on chickenpox (varicella) recommend that this vaccine is given to specific at risk groups. NIAC is currently considering current scientific evidence whether to recommend the inclusion of varicella vaccine into the childhood immunisation schedule.

Should NIAC advice recommend the inclusion of a new vaccine into the primary childhood immunisation programme in Ireland, my Department, in association with the Health Service Executive's National Immunisation Office will examine the issue.