Colm Burke (Cork North-Central, Fine Gael)
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829. To ask the Minister for Health to outline details of the recent move of the National Immunisation Advisory Committee from the Royal College of Physicians to the Health Information and Quality Authority; the impact this development will have on the speed at which vaccines could be added to the national immunisation programme bearing in mind it currently takes on average six years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35995/25]

Colm Burke (Cork North-Central, Fine Gael)
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830. To ask the Minister for Health if, arising from the recent move of the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC) from the Royal College of Physicians to the Health Information and Quality Authority, there will be an increase in the budget and extra resources allocated to NIAC as a consequence of this move; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35996/25]

Colm Burke (Cork North-Central, Fine Gael)
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831. To ask the Minister for Health if, arising from the recent move of the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC) from the Royal College of Physicians to the Health Information and Quality Authority, NIAC will remain an independent committee with the ability to define its own work programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35997/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 829 to 831, inclusive, together.

The Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) took over the hosting the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC) from the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland in March 2025.NIAC, as an independent advisory committee, will continue to deliver independent recommendations and advice to my Department, develop the National Immunisation Guidelines for Ireland and advocate for best immunisation practices in the Irish context.

NIAC carries out a critical role as Ireland's National Immunisation Technical Advisory Group (NITAG) by providing evidence-based expertise to inform safe and effective immunisation policies. Its recommendations are informed by the Committee’s assessment of population health risks, the burden of disease and evidence of the potential benefits and harms associated with the vaccine among other considerations.

These recommendations are first considered by the Chief Medical Officer who will then make a recommendation to myself as Minister. After deliberation, the Minister makes a policy decision.

In advance of any change in policy, the Minister can request that HIQA carry out an evaluation of the impacts of potential policy changes. HIQA has a statutory remit, under its Act, to evaluate the clinical and cost-effectiveness of health technologies, providing advice to the Minister for Health on budget impact, organisational and social aspects, and ethical and legal issues.

These evaluations take the form of Health Technology Assessments (HTAs). HTAs assist decision makers in assessing the merits and potential shortcomings of new health technologies, policies or services. A HTA is a multidisciplinary research process which looks at the evidence of the effectiveness and safety of the vaccine. It also looks at the value for money, cost effectiveness, organisational, social and ethical issues of providing a new vaccine. The information is collected and presented in a systematic, unbiased and transparent manner.

The outcome of the HTA will be considered by the Minister in coming to a decision in relation to any changes to the National Immunisation Programme.

Given that the healthcare budget is finite and decisions regarding increased spending relating to a change in one area could impact the provision of other health technologies and treatments within the healthcare system, the cost-effectiveness must be considered in any decision-making process.

The move to HIQA included an increase in the size of the NIAC secretariat which provides clinical, technical and administrative support to the Committee. This recognises NIAC’s growing workload, which has increased significantly in recent years due to developments in the field of immunisation.