Emily Ellen Culhane died from a strain of meningococcal B on January 5th, 2025.
An inquest into the death of a Laois teenager from bacterial meningitis has heard a request from her father for a catch up vaccine programme to be made available for teens in Ireland.
Emily Ellen Culhane from The Birches, Lower Boley, Abbeyleix, died from a strain of meningococcal B at Beaumont Hospital on January 5th, 2025.
Her father Seán Culhane made the call during the inquest into her death at Dublin District Coroner’s Court.
However the inquest also heard such a measure had already been ruled out earlier this year.
The National Immunisation Advisory Committee did not recommend a routine MenB vaccination programme for teenagers.
It followed a review of an outbreak of meningitis in Kent, England in March, resulting in the introduction of a targeted vaccination programme in the UK.
It is a rare infection in the republic with less than 100 cases each year.
A total of 23 deaths have been recorded the past decade.
Mr. Culhane, said it was clear to his family how two wonderful doctors who treated his daughter were shocked at the particular strain of meningitis with which Emily was infected.
It was also noted that children born in Ireland after 2016 receive free protection against multiple strains of meningitis in a number of doses between the age of 0 and 2.
The NIAC said they would continue to review vaccine effectiveness and possible strategies.
A verdict of death due to natural causes was returned.
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