Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 16 Dec 1997

Vol. 485 No. 2

Written Answers. - Primary Childhood Immunisation.

Alan Shatter

Question:

226 Mr. Shatter asked the Minister for Health and Children further to Parliamentary Question No. 199 of 4 November 1997 if he will give details of the outcome of his Department's discussions with the Irish Nurses' Organisation and the Irish Medical Organisation on the matter of primary childhood immunisation; and the geographical areas where uptake is low and in which special clinics might be set up in order to move closer to the urgent objective of an uptake level of 95 per cent of eligible children. [22982/97]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Cowen)

Officials of my Department again met representatives of the Irish Nurses' Organisation recently in relation to the operation of the primary childhood immunisation programme. Contacts are continuing in an effort to resolve the difficulties being experienced regarding public health nurses' participation in the programme's operation.

The identification of geographic areas where uptake of immunisation may be low is a matter for individual health boards. The reference in my reply of 4 November was to the existence of the provision whereby health boards have the option of making special arrangements for such areas if they deem this appropriate. I am not aware that any health board has established special clinics on the lines referred to by the Deputy.