Moving from the UK to Ireland: your child's vaccinations
The UK and Irish schedules are close: both vaccinate babies against MenB and give a yearly nasal flu vaccine from age 2. The differences are in the timing, MenC, chickenpox, and the school-age vaccines. Here's what to check.
How vaccination works in Ireland
- Baby and toddler vaccines are given by your GP, over five visits between 2 and 13 months. The HSE says all vaccines in the childhood programme are free from your GP.
- The junior infants and first year vaccines are normally given in school by HSE school vaccination teams (by your GP in Sligo, Leitrim and Donegal). They are free, and the school sends a consent pack home.
- The HSE asks you to bring your child's immunisation passport to each GP visit.
Key differences at a glance
| UK (NHS) | Ireland (HSE) | |
|---|---|---|
| 6-in-1 | 8, 12 and 16 weeks, plus 18 months for children born from July 2024 | 2, 4 and 6 months, plus 13 months for children born from 1 October 2024 |
| Pneumococcal | 16 weeks and 1 year | 2, 6 and 13 months |
| Meningococcal B | 8 weeks, 12 weeks and 1 year | 2, 4 and 12 months |
| Meningococcal C | Hib/MenC at 1 year for children born on or before 30 June 2024; not given to younger children | MenC at 13 months (born from 1 October 2024); MenC at 6 months and Hib/MenC at 13 months (born before) |
| MMR / chickenpox | Depends on birth date; MMRV since January 2026 | MMR and chickenpox at 12 months, MMRV in junior infants (born from 1 October 2024); MMR at 12 months and in junior infants, no chickenpox (born before) |
| Pre-school booster | 4-in-1 at 3 years 4 months | 4-in-1 in junior infants (4 to 5), at school |
| Teens | HPV in Year 8 (12 to 13); Td/IPV and MenACWY in Year 9 (14) | HPV, Tdap and MenACWY in first year of secondary school |
| Flu | Nasal spray every year from age 2 | Nasal spray every year from 2 to 17 |
What your child may need after the move
- MenC. UK children born from July 2024 don't get a MenC dose, while Irish children do at 13 months. Ask your GP whether your child needs it.
- Chickenpox. It depends on the date of birth in both countries. Bring the red book so the GP can see whether your child had MMRV.
- School vaccines. If your child starts junior infants or first year in Ireland, the school vaccines are offered there. Your child may already have had some of them in the UK, so bring the record to the school team or your GP.
- Different timings for the 6-in-1 and pneumococcal doses. Your GP compares the UK doses with the Irish schedule and decides whether anything is missing.
What happens to UK records
- Bring the red book (Personal Child Health Record) and ask your UK GP practice for a printout of your child's vaccination history before you leave.
- Register with a GP in Ireland and show them the UK record at the first visit.
How VaxFile helps
Log your child's UK doses (or scan the red book), add Ireland as a country, and see what's still due on the Irish schedule, with the right version for your child's date of birth. Export a PDF for the GP.
Sources: HSE, Primary Childhood Immunisation Schedule · HSE, School Immunisation Programme · UKHSA, complete routine immunisation schedule · NHS, vaccinations and when to have them
This page compares the UK NHS schedule with the Irish HSE schedule, for information only. It isn't medical advice. Your GP decides which vaccines your child needs. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland run their own programmes, and timings can differ slightly.
Last checked against the official sources: 30 October 2026.