HEALTH MINISTER SIMON Harris has confirmed that he has received preliminary advice from the Attorney General regarding mandatory vaccination being rolled out in Ireland. 

Speaking at the launch of the HPV vaccine for boys yesterday Harris said he is still considering Attorney General Seamus Wolfe’s advice and acknowledged that there are a number of competing rights at play with mandatory vaccination.

“I think it is fair to say that we absolutely can do some things and there are other things that are more challenging to do legally,” he said.

The minister was forthright in his support for the measure when he sought the advice earlier this year.

“I do feel very strongly about it, I do think there’s something irresponsible, and that is against the public good sending an unvaccinated child to a public school or to a crèche or into a public place where they can make other children sick – particularly young babies who are too young to get vaccinated,” he said.

Eleven European countries have mandatory vaccinations for a range of bacterial and viral infections. 

So, what do you think? Should it be mandatory for children to be vaccinated?