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

I thank the Senator for raising what is an important issue — increasing access to contraception. The Government understands the need to promote women's health and equality and, as such, the new programme for Government includes a commitment to expand access to free contraception for women aged between 17 and 25, as outlined by the Senator.

The Senator has made me aware of the recommendations of the Joint Committee on the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution. The working group was established in April 2019. This group was charged with examining the range of policy, regulatory and legislative issues in respect of improving access to contraception. The group's high-level report, published last October, identified the complexities associated with this issue and highlighted the need for any State-funded contraception scheme to provide women with the opportunity to choose the most effective and suitable types of contraception for them, based on their health and lifestyle needs and preferences.

Following the report, it was clear that a sizeable body of work would need to be addressed in order to develop and finalise the policy approach, bring forward the necessary legislative proposals and ensure the implementation of service-delivery arrangements. Unfortunately, work on this matter has been disrupted significantly by the need to prioritise the response to the COVID pandemic, although it will be considered further in the context of the Estimates process.

There are already several supports in place to facilitate individuals' access to contraception. For example, the national condom distribution scheme, which was established to promote condom use among individuals and groups who may be at increased risk of negative sexual health outcomes, distributed over 730,000 condoms and almost 450,000 lubricant sachets in 2019. This scheme has been expanded further, with the rolling out of condom dispensary services in November 2019 to over 23 third-level colleges.

The Senator may also be interested to know that, in partnership with the Irish Pharmacy Union, IPU, the HSE last month launched Play it Safe, a major new information campaign encouraging young adults to consider their sexual health and well-being during the current pandemic. This campaign involves making sexual health protection packs available in pharmacies nationwide, offering valuable information and supports to young adults, whom we know from public health data are most affected by crisis pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections.

In addition, it is important to remember that approximately 125,000 people accessed contraceptive services through the general medical services scheme in 2019. These individuals received their contraception free of charge. Those with a GP visit card are also supported in accessing contraception as they do not have to pay costs arising from GP visits.

The success of these initiatives is reflected in the fact that the European Contraception Atlas for 2019 ranked Ireland 12th of 46 countries, with a rating of 65% for Government policies on access to contraceptive supplies, family planning counselling and the provision of online information on contraception. There is, of course, scope for improvement, and it is clear that there are barriers to accessing contraception that must be addressed. At the same time, it is important to recognise the progress made and the measures already taken to address this complex issue.