Christopher O'Sullivan (Cork South West, Fianna Fail)
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206. To ask the Minister for Health if funding can be made available to provide a shingle vaccination programme to people over the age of 70 years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33030/23]

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 NIAC continues to revise recommendations to allow for the introduction of new vaccines in Ireland and to keep abreast of changes in the patterns of disease. Therefore, the immunisation schedule will continue to be amended over time. Shingles vaccination is not currently provided as part of the national immunisation programme.

It is open to an individual to source a vaccine from a GP outside of the national immunisation programme on the basis of a private arrangement.