Tony McLoughlin (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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288. To ask the Minister for Health his views on whether the success of the current smear test as administered by the HSE may be interpreted as justifying the success of the Gardasil vaccine. [38335/16]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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In 2009 the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC) recommended HPV vaccination for all 12 year old girls to reduce their risk of cervical cancer and in September 2010 the HPV vaccination programme was introduced for all girls in first year of second level schools. The programme provides vaccination for all first year girls. In September 2011 a catch up programme started for all girls in second level school and the 2013/2014 campaign was the final year of this programme.

Each year in Ireland around 300 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer. The HPV vaccine protects against two high risk types of HPV (16 & 18) that cause 73% of all cervical cancers. Vaccinated women and girls will still be at risk from other high risk types of HPV that can cause cervical cancer and will therefore need to continue to have regular cervical smear tests. NIAC recommended that the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine be given to all girls aged 12-13 in 2009 and in September 2010 the HPV vaccination programme was introduced for all girls in first year of second level schools.

Cervical Check is a national screening programme to prevent and control cervical cancer. The programme provides smear tests to women between the ages of 25 and 60. As the girls vaccinated under this programme have not reached the age of 25 it is not possible yet to assess the success of the HPV vaccine in reducing the incidence of cervical cancer in Ireland.