Colm Brophy (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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516. To ask the Minister for Health the estimated cost of extending the Laura Brennan HPV Catch-Up Vaccination Programme to all those under 25 who missed out on the HPV vaccination at school; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45909/24]

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. It makes recommendations on vaccination policy to my Department.

The ages at which vaccines are recommended in the immunisation schedule are selected, where possible, in order to give each child the best possible protection against vaccine preventable diseases.

The HPV vaccine is intended to be administered, if possible, before a person becomes exposed to HPV infection. The HPV vaccine is currently offered, free of charge, to boys and girls in first year of secondary school and is administered through the School Immunisation Programme. It is critical that the HPV vaccine is administered early and before any likely exposure to HPV.

NIAC guidance does not recommend administering the HPV vaccine to all unvaccinated adults.

All women under the age of 30 years old have had an opportunity to be vaccinated within the HSE vaccination programme when they were in secondary school, and those under 25 years had an additional opportunity to receive this vaccine in 2023.

It is not possible to estimate the cost outlined as there is no fee agreement in place with GPs to administer the HPV vaccine to unvaccinated adults.