Garret Ahearn (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for her response. I agree with her there are other things we can also do, as time is of the essence in addressing this issue. The quicker somebody finds out that they need treatment, the better. When women get a standard medical, they could get a blood test to assess their ovarian reserve, known as an anti-Müllerian hormone, AMH, test. It costs an extra €80 because it has to go to a different facility to be tested. The State should support that. That would mean a woman could find out much earlier in her 20s that she might have a problem and might not be able to have children in her 30s but could in her 20s and, therefore, would not get that devastating news her 30s. That blood test should be offered free of charge by the State in order that women could find out at an earlier stage if there is a problem, which would give them a longer period of time to decide what they want to do as an individual and as a couple.

I welcome that the National Infertility Support and Information Group, NISIG, will meet the Taoiseach's advisers this week. That shows that the Government is starting to move forward on this issue. This is a greatly emotive issue for many people, many of whom are not willing to talk about it openly, whom we need to support, and I hope we can do that as quickly as possible.