Active Retirement Ireland (ARI) has welcomed yesterday’s Seanad Eireann debate (Thursday, 5 February) on a Private Members’ Motion calling for the inclusion of the shingles vaccine in the National Immunisation Programme for older people.
This important motion was brought forward by Senator Joe Conway (Independent, Waterford) and was seconded by Senator Victor Boyhan (Independent) with strong cross-party support.
ARI representatives, including National President Mai Quaid and key member campaigner Gerri Gavin of Knocknacarra ARA in Co. Galway, attended the debate as part of the organisation’s ongoing policy and advocacy work to secure fair access to preventative healthcare for older people.
Speaking after the debate, ARI Head of Policy and Advocacy Alison Bough said:
“Active Retirement Ireland would like to sincerely thank Senator Joe Conway for bringing forward the motion and showing leadership on this issue, and Senator Victory Boyan for seconding it and highlighting the importance of equity in access to healthcare.
“This Seanad motion has been an important opportunity to keep pressure on government to revisit the case for a targeted shingles vaccination programme for people aged 65 and over, in line with NIAC recommendations.
“We also appreciate the thoughtful contributions from Senators across the House, including Senator Teresa Costello (FF), Senator Garret Ahearn (FG), Senator Mark Duffy (FG), Senator Nicole Ryan (SF), and Independent Senators Gerard Craughwell, Tom Clonan, and Martin Conway, and thank Minister of State at the Department of Health Ireland Jennifer Murnane O’Connor TD, for her response on behalf of government and for outlining work underway to explore access to the shingles vaccine, including possible phased approaches in line with NIAC advice.
“A clear message emerged throughout the debate: cost should not be a barrier to preventative healthcare, particularly for older people living on fixed incomes, and Ireland should not remain an international outlier when it comes to shingles vaccination.”
Shingles affects approximately one in three people during their lifetime, with risk increasing significantly with age. The condition can cause severe and prolonged pain, and in some cases leads to post-herpetic neuralgia (PHN), which can have a lasting impact on mobility, independence and quality of life.
In Ireland, access to shingles vaccination currently depends largely on ability to pay, with the vaccine costing up to €500 per person, placing it out of reach for many older people living on the State Pension and creating inequitable health outcomes based on income.
In February 2024, the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC) recommended the recombinant zoster vaccine for all adults aged 65 and over. Following this, the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) conducted a Health Technology Assessment, published in July 2024, which concluded that vaccinating all adults aged 50 and over was not cost-effective under current pricing and delivery models. However, the assessment did not specifically model a targeted programme for those aged 65 and over, despite NIAC’s recommendation.
Submissions to HIQA’s public consultation repeatedly highlighted that the out-of-pocket cost of €480–€500 is simply not affordable for many people reliant on the State Pension, and that the impact of shingles and PHN can significantly undermine people’s ability to age well and remain independent.
ARI is calling on government to reassess HIQA’s findings, consider a targeted age-based programme and include shingles vaccination for adults aged 65+ in the 2026 National Immunisation Programme. Many comparable countries, including the UK, Germany, France, Spain, Canada, Australia and the United States, already provide the vaccine free or at low cost for older adults.