Vol. 568 No. 1
492 Mr. Deasy asked the Minister for Health and Children if his attention has been drawn to the concerns being expressed by parents due to the public health doctors dispute, regarding children in their last year of national school who are awaiting their BCG vaccinations etc., that these children may, as a result of the dispute, get lost in the system; the efforts he is making to ensure this does not happen; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15207/03]
Operational responsibility for the administration of the school booster programme, including the BCG vaccination, lies with the health boards, which have the appropriate regional and local management structures in place to manage the delivery of the immunisation programme.
The present capacity of health boards to provide the BCG vaccination is compromised due to the ongoing industrial action by public health doctors. Every effort is being made to resolve the dispute.
I am concerned about the issues raised by the Deputy. I have asked my Department to ensure that it is addressed by health boards when the dispute is resolved.
