Dáil debates

Thursday, 31 March 2022

Women's Health Action Plan: Statements

 

2:45 pm

Photo of Frank FeighanFrank Feighan (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Ceann Comhairle. I begin by thanking my colleagues for their considered remarks on this important topic. Both the Minister and I share their passion and commitment to providing women in Ireland with a healthcare system that is agile and responsive to the issues raised.

As Deputies will be aware, women’s health was in the programme for Government as a key priority for the Government. This is a commitment we have since backed up with €31 million in additional funding for women’s health in budget 2022 and we have now launched the Women’s Health Action Plan 2022-2023 to set out the actions that will realise our investment. We are conscious there is much more to do and this plan is a reflection of the immense effort and input from our partners and stakeholders but it is first and foremost a commitment to keep working for the women of Ireland. Our ultimate ambition is to support a culture of care where women's voices matter and are represented in decision-making, where women’s health needs are researched and understood and no health issue is taboo, where women’s health is a priority and where women’s concerns about their health are never dismissed.

We understand there are multiple factors that can impact a person’s health. These factors include age, income, sexuality, race, religion, disability and geographical region. This plan strives to ensure the impact of these differences does not impact the quality of healthcare women receive. We have made a specific commitment to focus on how marginalised women experience healthcare in Ireland and we want to make sure these women can connect into health supports in settings that are comfortable and convenient. During the life of his plan we will bring particular focus to women from disadvantaged communities and doors at risk of poverty and social exclusion, including Traveller and Roma women and women with a disability.

The goals I have described are ambitious and this is why we have embedded accountability into the plan. Our listen, invest, deliver framework ensures we will never take our progress for granted or become complacent about the promises made in this plan.

We are committed to listening by seeking opportunities every year to hear from women, healthcare professionals and advocates. We will use this input to co-design new policies and actions that continue to drive momentum in improving women's health outcomes. We will continue to invest in women's health, making sure Ireland is at the cutting edge of women's health innovation and that we are agile and responsive to the needs identified by women in Ireland. We will use all of the measurements available to us to hold ourselves accountable as we deliver on this work programme. This will include existing processes in place to support, report and monitor HSE performance. We will continue to rely on the expert review and input of the women's health task force and our partners across the health sector, a group I have no doubt will continue to push for the very best we can deliver for the women of Ireland. At the end of 18 months, we will repeat this process, endeavouring to embed progress and to drive innovation in a fashion that reflects the urgency of women's health needs.

Many issues were raised by Deputies during the course of the debate, including a call for a Minister for women, which I would welcome. There was also a lot of talk about women and addiction. Part of my role includes responsibility for the national drugs strategy, which is all about reducing harm, supporting recovery, and destigmatising people who use drugs. We have made good progress in that regard and I thank all those who worked so hard on the strategy from 2017 on. We are in the middle of a mid-term review now but we are looking at a health-led approach to drug use. We are currently preparing for a Citizen's Assembly on drug use and it is hoped we will hit the ground running on that early next year.

Deputy Connolly argued we need to normalise breastfeeding, and I agree we need to work on increasing breastfeeding rates in this country.

Deputy Ward mentioned that the eating disorder unit in Mount Carmel has not opened yet. I understand it is due to open in June, but I will seek clarification on that.

Deputy Cronin referred to fact the drug Cariban is not available through the public system. I understand that is being looked at by the HSE and the Department of Health. It is an issue of which I am very aware and I have been pushing for progress on it within the Department of Health.

Period treatments and fertility treatments, including IVF, were also raised and we are moving in the right direction in that regard. A lot of these issues would be considered mainstream now. Much work has also been done on period poverty and progress is being made on that front too. I thank the Senators, in particular, who have worked extremely hard on that issue. The availability of HRT patches and gels was also raised during the debate.

It must be acknowledged that those of us working in the health sector are not alone in our efforts and that work is ongoing across Government on gender and equality as we work to recognise and address the multiple and overlapping social determinants that contribute to women's health. All Departments and stakeholders have an important role to play in supporting women in Ireland to live healthy lives. Some of today's contributors said that, 100 years after the foundation of the State, we are now beginning to listen to women. We will deliver a genuine and lasting step change for women in Ireland by working together.

I thank Deputies for their contributions to this important debate, which were very measured, informative and helpful. The Minister for Health, Deputy Donnelly, and the Ministers of State at the Department, Deputies Rabbitte, Butler and I, share the Deputies' passion and commitment to providing the women of Ireland with a healthcare system that is responsive to their needs. We have provided significant funding for women's health in budget 2022 and now we must put the systems in place to ensure this funding is spent appropriately in the context of the women's health action plan.

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