Child Vaccinations

Ireland’s free-of-charge national vaccination programme shields your child, their playmates, and
your community from outbreaks of many illnesses. 
 
What are child vaccinations?
Ensuring your child’s vaccinations are up-to-date is important: vaccines are a safe, effective, proven way to help the body prevent or fight off many illnesses, and will also help shield the whole community from outbreaks of disease.

While childhood vaccinations are not mandatory in Ireland, they are strongly advised by the health authorities, and children receive recommended immunisation services free of charge.  Children aged two to 17 can now get the flu vaccine for free too. This is given as a spray in the nose.

Your doctor or nurse can discuss any concerns with you before giving your child their vaccines.  We administer vaccinations in our practice for babies, while from four onwards, children are normally vaccinated at school by HSE nurses. Parents must grant consent up to the age of 16.
 
Vaccination timeline
2 months: 
-   6-in-1 vaccine, for diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough (pertussis), Hib (Haemophilus influenzae), polio, hepatitis B
-   PCV (pneumococcal conjugate) vaccine
-   MenB (meningococcal B) vaccine
-   Rotavirus oral vaccine
4 months:
-   6-in-1
-   MenB
-   Rotavirus
6 months:
-   6-in-1
-   MenC (meningococcal C)
-   PCV
12 months:
-   MMR (measles, mumps, rubella)
-   MenB
13 months:
-   Hib/ MenC combined vaccine
-   PCV
4 - 5 years (at school):
-   4-in-1 booster injection in the child's school for continued protection against diphtheria, polio, tetanus and whooping cough

-   A second dose of MMR
2 - 17 years:
-   flu vaccine as nasal spray on request, now free of charge
11 - 14 years (at school):
-   All first year students are offered MenACWY (four types of meningitis, and septicaemia), Tdap (tetanus, low dose diphtheria, and low dose whooping cough ) and HPV vaccines.