The Health Service Executive is offering a catch-up facility for girls to get the Human Papilloma Vaccine to prevent cervical cancer.
It says that any parent who may have hesitated last September to have their daughter vaccinated can have it over the coming weeks.
The HPV vaccine has been offered in Ireland to first-year girls in secondary schools since 2010.
It is administered in two doses, about six months apart, and vaccination teams will be returning to secondary schools shortly to administer the second dose.
This is when parents can avail of the catch-up programme.
The HSE is also launching a new information campaign today on the vaccine, which includes social media.
Last August, vaccination rates had fallen to around 50%, from a high of almost 90%.
The HSE says rates have increased again.
Cervical cancer is caused by the Human Papilloma Virus and the vaccine protects against seven of the ten cervical cancers.
It is is recommended by the World Health Organisation, obstetricians and gynaecologists and the National Immunisation Advisory Committee.
Ireland sees 6,500 cases of pre-cancers of the cervix each year.
Every year, there are 300 cases of cervical cancer diagnosed and 90 women die from the disease.
Medical experts say the vaccine can cause some short-term side effects but that there are no known long-term side effects.
Severe allergic reactions are rare. In Ireland around 660,000 doses have been administered and over 230,000 girls have been vaccinated.
The Health Products Regulatory Authority says it has received 1,138 reports of suspected adverse reactions/events associated with HPV vaccines.
This covers the period from the date of authorisation of the drug in 2006 up to 31 December 2017.
The authority says the majority of reports received have been consistent with the expected pattern of adverse effects for the vaccine, as described in the currently approved product information leaflet.
Adverse events, occurring at the time of vaccine administration, such as fainting, have been among the most commonly reported effects.
Other commonly reported symptoms include gastrointestinal symptoms, malaise, headache, dizziness and injection site reactions.
The HPRA says that of the suspected adverse reaction reports received to date, 60% have been categorised as serious.
This classification is based on the regulatory definition of a "serious" adverse reaction, which includes circumstances where patients require intervention - a review by their GP and/or treatment for their symptoms.
The HPRA says such reactions are typically transient in nature and require minimal medical intervention.
Head of the National Immunisation Office, Dr Brenda Corcoran, said that a huge amount of work has been done since last year with health professionals, teachers and parents in order to promote the HPV vaccine and support the message that the vaccine is safe.
Speaking on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland, Dr Corcoran said these consistent messages are getting through to parents, who are choosing to get the vaccine for their daughters.
She said this vaccine is one of the most studied ever and all evidence shows there has been no increase in any longer term illness, after the vaccine.
She said the HSE is working hard to combat misinformation on social media.
Dr Corcoran said that it is not late for any girl to miss out on the vaccine and they can contact the school vaccination team to receive it.
She said there was a lot of information on the website hpv.ie
However she said the immune response in younger people is better, so the earlier girls receive it, the better.
