Margaret Murphy O'Mahony (Cork South West, Fianna Fail)
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352. To ask the Minister for Health the status of putting in place a scheme, on a no fault basis, that will respond to the needs of persons with disability arising from vaccination [40603/16]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The Programme for a Partnership Government includes a commitment to put in place a scheme, on a no-fault basis, that will respond to the needs of people with disability arising from vaccination.

In 2001 the Joint Committee on Health recommended that a vaccine damage compensation scheme be set up at the earliest possible date. The Vaccine Damage Steering Group was established by the Department of Health and Children in early 2007 on foot of the Joint Oireachtas Committee’s recommendations and following commitments made by the Minister. The final report of the steering group was published in 2009 and recommended establishing an ex gratiapayment scheme.

My Department has been examining the complex issues associated with the implementation of this commitment, including the statutory basis of the scheme, the arrangements for eligibility, the vaccines to be included, the criteria for determining an adverse event, the burden of proof required, the assessments of disability and how that should be conducted, the levels of award, the mechanisms for appeals, for litigation rights as well as its administrative location.

I expect to be in a position to make a recommendation on how this can be implemented before the end of 2017.