Denise Mitchell (Dublin Bay North, Sinn Fein)
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855. To ask the Minister for Health if there are any plans to make the meningococcal B (MenB) vaccine available free of charge to older citizens; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36177/25]

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). The Committee's recommendations are based on the prevalence of the relevant disease in Ireland and international best practice in relation to immunisation.

NIAC continues to revise recommendations to allow for the introduction of new vaccines in Ireland and to keep abreast of changes in the patterns of disease. It also considers emerging evidence and therefore the immunisation schedule will continue to be amended over time.

In Ireland, all children are offered the MenB vaccine at 2 and 4 months of age via the Primary Childhood Immunisation Programme. A booster dose of the MenB vaccine is offered at 12 months of age.

Meningitis B disease is most common in babies under the age of 1 year old which is reflected in the timing of the administration of the vaccine under the childhood immunisation programme.