Donnelly: HPV vaccine to be made available free to all women under the age of 25

Stephen Donnelly: '[HPV] is an incredibly effective vaccine and I would like to see a catch-up programme rolled out as quickly as possible.' Picture: Moya Nolan

The HPV vaccine is to be made available free to all women under 25 to reduce cervical cancer rates, Stephen Donnelly, the health minister, has confirmed.

Mr Donnelly told the Irish Examiner he had written to the HSE telling it to outline a vaccination programme for women and a catch-up programme for girls and boys in secondary schools who missed out during the pandemic.