Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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947. To ask the Minister for Health the age groups that receive the free meningococcal B vaccine; his plans to extend the free meningococcal B vaccine to all children; if his attention has been drawn to the fact the vaccination costs up to €270 to receive it outside the public health care system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13811/17]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The HSE Service Plan included additional funding of €2.5 million for the expansion of the Primary Childhood Immunisation Schedule in 2016. Two changes were made to the Primary Childhood Immunisation Schedule with the introduction of MenB and Rotavirus for all babies born on or after 1 October, 2016. As the first doses of these vaccines are administered to children when they reach two months, the changes to the immunisation schedule took effect from 1 December, 2016. Children born on or after 1 October, 2016 are now receiving the MenB vaccine at 2, 4 and 12 months of age. All vaccines administered through the Primary Childhood Immunisation Schedule are provided free of charge. However, there are no plans at this stage to introduce a catch-up programme for older children. Those who have a medical card are eligible to have the vaccine administered by their GP free of charge. However the purchase of the vaccine is not covered by the medical card scheme. Ireland is the second country in Europe to make the vaccine available free of charge as part of its national immunisation programme.