Budget expected to include funds for shingles vaccine, but no change for Drugs Payment Scheme

It is understood the health minister wants to focus extra spending on the continuation of the RSV vaccine for newborn babies and an introduction of a shingles vaccination programme. File picture: Larry Cummins

    The rollout of a shingles vaccine is now expected to be included in the upcoming budget .

It is understood that health minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill is pushing to prioritise vaccinations and is now confident that funding can be secured to introduce a shingles vaccine and continue with a highly successful RSV programme for babies as part of next month's budget.

However, people who have significant monthly medication bills are unlikely to see a reduction in costs, as bringing down the threshold of the Drugs Payment Scheme (DPS) is seen as a costly measure that would not have a massive impact.