Colm Brophy (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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751. To ask the Minister for Health the reason that the HPV vaccine is not available to some unvaccinated males who are in sixth year; the reason that the eligibility criteria are not set by age as opposed to school year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4804/23]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The immunisation programme in Ireland is based on the advice of the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC). The committee's recommendations are based on the prevalence of the relevant disease in Ireland and international best practice in relation to immunisation.

The ages at which vaccines are recommended in the immunisation schedule are chosen by the NIAC in order to give each child the best possible protection against vaccine preventable diseases. As the HPV vaccine is preventative it is intended to be administered, if possible, before a person becomes exposed to HPV infection.

Therefore, the gender-neutral HPV vaccination programme targets all girls and boys in first year of secondary school to provide maximum coverage.

In line with the NIAC's advice, I have asked the HSE to facilitate and operationalise the Laura Brennan HPV Vaccination Catch-Up Programme.

This programme offers a free HPV vaccines to all boys and girls in second level education who were previously eligible to receive the HPV vaccine and who have not yet, for whatever reason, received it.

Young women, up to the age of 25, who have now left secondary school, and who did not receive the vaccine, are also eligible to receive the vaccine as part of the catch-up programme.

Eligible young people and their parents can register their interest in receiving the vaccine on www.hpv.ie  This link also contains detailed information about the HPV vaccine.