Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

As I said, this is an issue that has been raised with me. It is something that is particularly hard for women. Some people who lose their hair due to chemotherapy may be able to get support for the cost of a wig if they have a medical card. People with alopecia have no automatic entitlement to a medical card. Alopecia can often be a lifelong condition and at present there is no support to help people. I wanted to change that.

Some of these wigs are, as the Deputy said, very expensive, in particular if people are wearing them every day while going to work. It is important that we support the people who need them because alopecia is something that can affect people of all ages right across the board. Hair loss can sometimes be taboo to talk about and women sometimes feel they have to hide it or cannot talk about it. It is not just physical; it can have significant consequences for a person's confidence and mental health.

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