Marie Sherlock (Dublin Central, Labour)
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743. To ask the Minister for Health the status of the Laura Brennan HPV Vaccination Catch-Up Programme; the strategy and key performance indicators for the programme; if a review will be carried out; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5833/25]

Marie Sherlock (Dublin Central, Labour)
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744. To ask the Minister for Health the number of people who received a HPV vaccination as part of the Laura Brennan HPV Vaccination Catch-Up Programme; and the total cost per vaccine administered; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5834/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 743 and 744 together.

The Laura Brennan HPV Vaccination Catch-Up Programme commenced on 8 December 2022 with the opening of the HSE’s online registration portal for the programme.In 2023, the Laura Brennan HPV Vaccination Catch-Up Programme offered free HPV vaccines to:

• females who are 24 years of age or younger

• males who are 21 years of age or younger

Approximately 11,000 people received HPV vaccination through this programme.

I am advised that the HSE and my Department continue to work together to review available options in relation to provision of HPV immunisation in the future.

In 2025, the HSE will run a pilot programme which will aim to support Ireland’s effort to eliminate cervical cancer by improving the HPV vaccination rates among underserved communities, including Traveller, Roma and migrant groups living in Ireland. The pilot will seek to address the need of underserved communities to access HPV vaccination in the community and to provide access to targeted information and support that facilitates them to make an informed choice in relation to vaccination. Learnings from this pilot will be evaluated and inform the HPV vaccination programme.

With the aim of moving towards cervical cancer elimination in the coming years, it will be important to focus on increasing vaccination uptake rates in the routine HPV vaccination programme. To eliminate cervical cancer, all countries must aim to ensure that 90% of girls are vaccinated with the HPV vaccine by the age of 15 years.

The ages at which vaccines are recommended in the immunisation schedule are chosen by the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (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 and protection. It is vital that, moving forward, the importance of receiving HPV vaccination when it is offered through the routine HPV vaccination programme is communicated effectively to the population and that there is no confusion over the optimum time to receive the vaccine.

As there are competing vaccination priorities and demand on resources is high, it is critical that any resources available are directed to where they can best be utilised to produce maximum clinical impact.

Marie Sherlock (Dublin Central, Labour)
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745. To ask the Minister for Health if she is aware of the National Immunisation Advisory Committee recommendation that HPV vaccination should be offered to unvaccinated women who require excisional treatment for CIN 2+ lesions; if there are plans to provide vaccination to this group free of charge; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5835/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.