Press Release: Thursday 15 January 2025
Ministers for Health and Education and Youth announce the next phase of the Laura Brennan HPV Vaccine Catch-Up Programme
Minister for Health, Jennifer Carroll MacNeill TD and Minister for Education and Youth, Hildegarde Naughton, have today (Thursday) announced the launch of the next phase of the Laura Brennan HPV Vaccine Catch-Up Programme, beginning with students in fifth and sixth year of post-primary school by the Health Service Executive (HSE).
This catch-up programme is designed to offer a further vaccination opportunity to young people, both male and female, who may have missed earlier opportunities to receive the HPV vaccine. The programme will be delivered primarily through schools.
This programme continues the legacy of Laura Brennan whose advocacy transformed HPV vaccine uptake in Ireland. The Laura Brennan HPV Vaccine Catch-Up programme was initially launched in 2022.
During the first phase of the schools programme, free HPV vaccines will be provided to students in fifth and sixth year of post-primary school between January and August 2026. If your child is home-educated and born between 1 September 2006 and 31 August 2009 and did not receive the HPV vaccine in first year of post-primary school, the free HPV vaccine is still available.
In the following phase, these vaccines will be available to students from second to fifth year in the 2026/2027 academic year.
It is important to remember that the most effective time to get the HPV vaccine is when it is first offered. The routine school-based immunisation programme, which offers the HPV vaccine to first-year students in post-primary school nationally, will continue as normal throughout 2026.
Minister Carroll MacNeill said:
“The Laura Brennan HPV vaccine catch-up programme that we are announcing today will offer a further opportunity for young people who have not previously received the HPV vaccine to come forward for this important vaccination.
“Receiving the HPV vaccine during post-primary school is an important early measure in reducing the risk of cervical cancer later in life. Additionally, attending – when invited – for free regular cervical screening through the HSE’s CervicalCheck programme between the ages of 25 and 65 offers further protection.
“I am grateful to Laura’s family, in particular her parents, Larry and Bernadette, who have transformed public understanding of the HPV vaccine. I am also grateful to the Irish Cancer Society for their ongoing engagement and advocacy.
“Increasing HPV vaccination coverage is a key step towards achieving cervical cancer elimination by 2040 and making cervical cancer a rare disease in Ireland in the coming years.”
Minister Naughton said:
“Ensuring the health and wellbeing of our young people is a shared responsibility, and this catch-up vaccination programme is empowering students to make informed choices about their long-term health.
“School vaccination programmes play a vital role in protecting young people at a critical stage in their development. By ensuring that students are protected against preventable diseases we are not only safeguarding their health today but also setting them up for a healthier more secure future.
“I would like to thank our school communities for facilitating the HSE in making this vaccine available to students and encourage students and their families to use this opportunity to reduce our young people’s risk of cervical cancer in later life.”
Mother of Laura Brennan, Bernadette Brennan said:
“I warmly welcome the implementation of the Government’s commitment to reintroduce the Laura Brennan HPV Catch-Up Programme, as outlined in the Programme for Government. I would like to sincerely thank An Tánaiste Simon Harris for his strong commitment to this initiative in the Dáil, as well as Roderic O’Gorman for raising the issue late last year.
“This extension of the programme will undoubtedly save more lives from HPV-related cancers. I strongly encourage all students to take advantage of this opportunity to receive any missed or delayed HPV vaccinations. If you did not receive the HPV vaccine when first offered, you now have the chance to protect yourself through the Laura Brennan HPV Vaccine Catch-Up Programme.
“It is vitally important that both boys and girls receive the HPV vaccine. HPV vaccination offers safe and effective protection.
“HPV is a major cause of cancer in both women and men. It is vital that everyone gets vaccinated. The latest figures show that 641 people are diagnosed with HPV-related cancers in Ireland every year, and 196 people lose their lives — most of these cancers are preventable.
“As Laura so powerfully said, ‘This vaccine saves lives. It could have saved mine’.”
Chief Medical Officer, Professor Mary Horgan said:
“HPV vaccination is a vital public health measure which can effectively reduce the risk of HPV-related cancers in the population. I would strongly encourage all eligible young people to avail of this opportunity to receive this life-saving vaccine.”
Consultant in Public Health Medicine and National Immunisation Lead at the HSE’s National Immunisation Office, Dr Lucy Jessop said:
“The Laura Brennan HPV Vaccine Catch-Up Programme is an important opportunity to protect young people who may have missed out on the HPV vaccine previously. HPV infection is very common, and vaccination is a safe and effective way to reduce the risk of HPV-related cancers later in life, including cervical, throat, anal, penile and vulval cancers. The vaccine is recommended for both young males and females, as HPV affects everyone.
“Delivering the programme through schools, alongside clear and trusted information, supports young people and parents to make informed decisions about vaccination and long-term health.”
The HSE has advised that regional vaccination teams will be visiting local schools to offer the vaccine to eligible students. For home-educated children, parents will be advised to contact their Local Health Office (LHO) for details on where to receive the vaccine. LHO contact details are available at www.immunisation.ie
It should be noted that young people aged 16 years and over can provide consent themselves to receive the vaccination. Parents/guardians will be asked to provide consent for young people aged 15 years and under.