Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines work by preventing infections prior to exposure to the HPV virus. Thus, the vaccines are more effective at a younger age prior to exposure to the HPV virus. The HSE offers a single dose of HPV vaccine to all first-year boys and girls in secondary school as part of the routine HPV vaccination programme.

A vaccine uptake of 90% in girls by the age of 15 is one of the targets required to achieve the goal of cervical cancer elimination by 2040. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has asked every country to put measures in place to reach this target, and the HSE is working to increase the vaccine uptake in the routine HPV programme from the current uptake of just under 80%.

In line with NIAC advice, in 2022, I asked the HSE to facilitate and operationalise the Laura Brennan HPV Vaccination Catch-Up Programme which was open until the end of 2023. The Department is considering the possibility of an extension to this programme.