Pádraig Rice (Cork South-Central, Social Democrats)
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980. To ask the Minister for Health if her attention has been drawn to the UK government's Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation recommendation that a targeted vaccination programme should be initiated for the prevention of gonorrhoea (details supplied); if a similar vaccine programme is being considered by the National Immunisation Advisory Committee; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17295/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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The National 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. NIAC make recommendations on vaccination policy to my Department.

NIAC continues to revise recommendations to allow for the introduction of new vaccines in Ireland, to incorporate findings from horizon scanning and to keep abreast of changes in the patterns of disease. Therefore, the immunisation schedule will continue to be amended over time based on emerging evidence. I can advise that NIAC is aware of the JCVI recommendation referenced.