Noel Rock (Dublin North West, Fine Gael)
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183. To ask the Minister for Health his plans to increase the uptake rate for vaccines, specifically for measles; the timeframe expected to reach a 95% uptake rate; if there is currently a risk of a measles outbreak; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21225/17]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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There has been an increase in measles outbreaks in Europe and we have been taking appropriate response measures in Ireland including measures to identify and treat all cases.

A notification was circulated by the HSE-Health Protection Surveillance Centre to all:

- Departments of Public Health;

- General Practitioners;

- Consultants in infectious diseases, emergency medicine, and microbiology; and

- Other health professionals.

Updating them of the increase in measles cases in Europe, the risk of importation into Ireland, and information on procedures to deal with a suspected case of measles.

The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, in a Rapid Risk Assessment issued on 3 March 2017, noted that immunisation is the only effective preventive measure against acquiring measles. Immunisation against measles was introduced in Ireland in 1985, and from 1988 the MMR vaccine replaced the single measles vaccine. It is included in the Primary Childhood Immunisation Programme with the first dose given at 12 months and the second dose at 4-5 years of age. It can also be given at any age to those who need it for travel, work, or to protect vulnerable children or adults. Immunisation rates in Ireland remain high. Vaccination rates for MMR at 24 months were 92% in 2016 and have been above 90% since 2008. Uptake rates fell when links between MMR and autism were first reported in the 1990s. At that time people falsely linked the development of autism with MMR, but these claims have been fully discredited.

The HSE continues to work to, increase MMR immunisation rates, particularly in those areas of the country where they are below average. These activities include:

- ongoing training for health care professionals;

- meetings with key stakeholders including the Department of Education and school management bodies;

- articles in parents magazines and for health professionals;

- letters to be sent to all language and summer schools highlighting measles outbreaks in Europe and the importance of MMR vaccination;

- publication of hot topic article highlighting measles outbreaks in Europe and importance of MMR vaccination on National Immunisation Office website (which is accredited by the World Health Organisation);

- circulation of the latest edition (April 2017) of the National Immunisation Newsletter which contains an article about measles at . Hard copies of the newsletter are sent to all sites that receive vaccines (2000+) from the National Cold Chain Service and it is also sent electronically to HSE staff and others who request it.

There were a number of imported cases of measles in Ireland last year. In 2015 measles incidence in Ireland was 0.2 per million of the population. In 2016 the incidences was 8.7 per million of the population. This increase was as a result of forty three confirmed measles cases were notified, all of which were linked to an imported cases. Despite this outbreak Ireland is still on track to meet the WHO Euro target for the elimination of measles by 2020.