School Programme 2024/2025

The Schools Immunisation Programme (SIP) is developed in accordance with the guidance issued by the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC) of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland (RCPI) and contained in the Immunisation Guidelines for Ireland (you will be directed to the RCPI NIAC website). 

The Schools Immunisation Programme is part of a national strategy to protect children from infectious diseases through vaccination. Specifically the Schools Immunisation Programme protects against the following diseases with the named vaccines:

  • Measles, mumps, rubella with MMR vaccine
  • Tetanus, diphtheria, polio, pertussis with DTaP/IPV vaccine
  • Tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis with Tdap vaccine
  • Human papillomavirus (HPV) with HPV9 vaccine
  • Meningococcal A, C, W and Y infection with MenACWY vaccine

In Ireland, all the recommended childhood or adolescent vaccines when administered in the schools immunisation programme are free. 

Please note if parents or guardians request their GP give the school immunisation programme vaccines to their children, the vaccines are not free. 

In Sligo, Leitrim and Donegal GPs give the 4 in 1 and MMR vaccines to children in Junior Infants or age equivalent. 

4 in 1 and MMR programme

The programme aims to vaccinate on an annual basis by targeting students in junior infants of primary schools and age equivalent in special schools and home schooled students with 4 in 1 and MMR.

These vaccines are given by a HSE doctor or nurse in primary school to Junior Infants. In Donegal, Sligo and Leitrim these vaccines are given by GPs.

Information materials for parents are available in the 4 in 1 and MMR school section

The following information materials are available for healthcare professionals carrying out this programme.

Post Vaccination Advice

The Summary of Product Characteristics (SmPC) and Patient Information Leaflets (PIL) for the 4 in 1 and MMR vaccines are available from the www.hpra.ie website. Search for Tetravac, Priorix and MMRVaxPro to read the SmPC or PIL.  

Please note you will be leaving www.immunisation.ie when you click the SmPC and PIL links above.

HPV, Tdap and MenACWY programme

The programme aims to vaccinate on an annual basis by targeting students in first year in second level schools and age equivalent in special schools and home schooled with HPV, Tdap and MenACWY vaccine.

Information materials for parents are available in the

The following information materials are available for healthcare professionals carrying out this programme.

Post Vaccination Advice

The Summary of Product Characteristics (SmPC) and Patient Information Leaflets (PIL) for

  • HPV vaccine is available from the www.hpra.ie website. Search for Gardasil 9 to read the SmPC or PIL. 
  • Tdap vaccine is available from the www.hpra.ie website. Search for Boostrix to read the SmPC or PIL.
  • MenACWYvaccine is available from the www.hpra.ie website. Search for Nimenrix to read the SmPC or PIL. 

Please note you will be leaving www.immunisation.ie when you click the SPC and PIL links above.

More Information about HPV can be found at the following websites:

 

This page was updated on 23 August 2024