Autism groups slam Oireachtas report

An alliance of groups involved in autism has called for the scrapping of the recently published Oireachtas report on vaccination and children.

The groups say the report failed to address fears over the MMR vaccination and its possible links with autism.

Cathy Sinnott of the Hope Project on Autism said the report was "a betrayal of parental trust" and was an insult to those who contributed.

Green Party TD John Gormley said the committee deliberated on the report in private, and the minutes from the meeting were not even available.

He said the significant rises in the numbers of autism in this country have not been addressed, nor its possible link with the vaccine.

He claimed that powerful interests in the pharmaceutical sector may have influenced the report.