Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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2317. To ask the Minister for Health in light of National Cancer Registry Ireland reports of increased age-adjusted incidence of HPV-related cancers in Ireland (details supplied); the reason the HPV vaccine is not offered for free outside the HSE School Vaccination Programme and the Laura Brennan HPV Catch-up Vaccination Programme for under-21s; her plans to expand access to the vaccine; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20214/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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The immunisation programme in Ireland is based on the advice of the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC). NIAC considers the prevalence of the relevant disease in Ireland as well as international best practice in relation to immunisation when developing its advice.

The HPV vaccine has been offered to girls in their first year of secondary school since 2010. Since September 2019, boys in first year of secondary school have also been offered the HPV vaccine. As the HPV vaccine is a preventative measure, 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.

The Laura Brennan Catch-up programme ran from December 2022 to December 2023. Increasing vaccination uptake rates in the routine HPV vaccination programme is vital in order for Ireland to achieve elimination of cervical cancer by its target date of 2040. The World Health Organisation has set a target for all countries to ensure that 90% of girls are vaccinated with the HPV vaccine by the age of 15 years.

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.

In 2025, the HSE will run a pilot programme which will focus on improving the HPV vaccination rates among underserved communities, including Traveller, Roma and migrant groups living in Ireland. The pilot will provide access to targeted information and support that facilitates these groups to make an informed choice in relation to vaccination.