Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 15 May 2018
392. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Health when the vaccine compensation scheme, as included in A Programme for a Partnership Government, will be implemented; the reason for the delay in its delivery; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21008/18]
View answer393. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Health to outline the reason the interim report of the medical expert group set up in 1977 to examine persons that it was claimed had been permanently damaged by the whooping cough vaccination was never published; if the report will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21009/18]
View answer394. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Health to outline the consideration he has given to the request from a group (details supplied) to have an inquiry into the vaccine reactions, subsequent injury and early death of some children that received the DPT vaccine; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21010/18]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 392 to 394, inclusive, together.
The Programme for a Partnership Government includes a commitment to “put in place a scheme, on a no-fault basis, that will respond to the needs of people with disability arising from vaccination.” The policy objectives in putting in place a scheme to meet the needs of people with disability arising from vaccination are to provide fair and just compensation for those who may have been injured by a vaccine, to reduce the costs to the State by providing an alternative to litigation and to maintaining public confidence in immunisation. This matter is under consideration by the Department with a view to developing a proposal regarding a vaccine damage scheme based on evidence concerning, vaccine damage schemes, legal advices and consultation with other Government bodies.
