Children will be able to avail of two new vaccines from December 1, following an agreement between the Irish Medical Organisation (IMO), the Department of Health and the HSE.

From that date, any babies born after October 1 of this year can avail of the Meningococcal B and rotavirus vaccines, in addition to the other vaccines that are routinely given as part of the Primary Childhood Immunisation Programme.

Earlier this month, concerns had been raised that the new vaccines would not be introduced as planned on December 1, due to a dispute over fees. The IMO and the National Association of General Practitioners both said that GPs would not meet the deadline unless agreement on a fee for the extra workload involved with this scheme could be reached.

GPs currently receive €300 for childhood vaccinations. As part of this latest agreement, they will receive an additional €80 for each child who is vaccinated.

Meningococcal disease is a serious bacterial infections that can cause meningitis and septicaemia. It can occur at any age, but is most common in children under the age of five and particularly in those under the age of 12 months.

Most cases are caused by Meningococcal B and C, however, the introduction of a Meningococcal C vaccine in 2000 led to a dramatic fall in associated cases. This latest vaccine has been shown to be very effective, providing almost 90% protection against Meningococcal B bacteria types.

Meanwhile, rotavirus is a viral infection which causes diarrhoea and vomiting in babies and children under the age of five. It is highly infectious and is most common in winter and spring.

While most children will recover at home, some will need to be admitted to hospital. Every year in Ireland, almost 1,000 children under the age of five are admitted to hospital with this infection.

Commenting on the new vaccination schedule, the Minister for Health, Simon Harris, said that he was ‘very pleased' that these new vaccines are to be added and he thanked the IMO for its engagement on delivering this new programme.

Also commenting on the issue, Dr Padraig McGarry of the IMO noted that the introduction of these vaccines ‘is an important public health policy'.

"This agreement is good for newborns and their parents. It will improve health outcomes for children and will ensure that the vaccines continue to be delivered in general practice where the work of GPs has ensured high uptake rates of essential vaccine programmes," he said.

For more information on the new immunisation schedule, click here

To help you keep track of your child's vaccinations, see our unique Child Immunisation Tracker here