Active Retirement Ireland, the country’s largest membership organisation for retired and semi-retired people, has welcomed the increasing dialogue and cross-party support for a national shingles vaccination programme in Ireland in what the charity says is a step towards greater health equity for older people.
Active Retirement Ireland CEO Fran Brennan said: “We commend those in the Dáil and the Seanad who are raising this important issue and for pushing for fairer, more affordable preventative health care for older people.
“Shingles affects one in three people during their lifetime, with the risk rising sharply after age 50.
“We are talking about a painful virus that can have lasting, debilitating effects that significantly impact quality of life, but is preventable through vaccination. Unfortunately, the high cost of the vaccine — around €500 per person — means it is out of reach for many.
“As well as being at an increased risk of contracting shingles, older people — who are more likely to be living on lower, fixed incomes — are also among those least able to afford the vaccine.”
Ahead of Budget 2026, the charity is calling on the government to include free shingles vaccination for people aged 65 and older as part of the adult immunisation programme, in line with the recommendations of the National Immunisation Advisory Committee.
CEO Fran Brennan said: “In our pre-budget submission to the Department of Health, we ask the government to urgently reconsider the decision that vaccinating older people against shingles is not an efficient use of HSE resources.
“Effective preventative healthcare that that enables older people to live healthy, active and independent lives for as long as possible, such as the shingles vaccine, should be available to all older people in Ireland, not only those who can afford it.”