Timmy Dooley (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Like others, I welcome the decision taken by Senator Pauline O'Reilly to bring forward the motion. We are often left wondering what it is about women's health in this country that the Legislature and the apparatus of Government have for so long sought to ignore the basics of women's health. It is not all that long ago that we moved on contraception, we were blisteringly late to address termination of pregnancy and, now, it is not until it is brought to a head in a case like this that we address the menopause.

I was taken aback by the lack of understanding and information about menopausal issues until it was addressed on “The Joe Duffy Show” probably two years ago. Those of us who are in public life and dealing with constituents are well aware of the struggles of people right across society, and maybe we are more in tune with issues than others, but I was taken aback at that stage by the extent to which the cohort of GPs were failing women. Women were telling their stories on radio about failing to get the attention or the understanding of a GP. We then had the usual list of denials, such as “We were not trained” or “We did not know”. However, I come to the conclusion that if the menopause was something that could be experienced by men, we would have it sorted out a long time ago.There would be additives in a pint of Guinness that would have addressed the issue. I do not mean to be facetious or in any way undermine the veracity of this issue. For far too long it was presented as something that women have not spoken out about. Why would they or how could they? They saw it as a taboo in society. Well done to Senator O'Reilly for bringing it forward - really well done - but it casts a dark shadow on this State that, in 2023, a Senator has to bring forward a motion like this. The full embrace of our health system is not capable or has not been capable of addressing this issue without delay.

There is no doubt that, as an issue, it has to some extent not been talked about, and it is hard to understand why that is. Of course, going on what we read and people we talk to, different people experience it in different ways. People have been discouraged from taking HRT by some professionals who will ask what about your bone structure or what impact is it going to have on your potential to get cancer and all these kinds of negatives? There are many women who suffer the early onset of menopause, some in their late 20s and early 30s, and it is hard to think they would not have access to the kind of information necessary to be able to avail of HRT in the first instance, or even to purchase it and pay for it themselves, and it is of course expensive. Now, at least, the passage of this motion can begin a process towards ensuring it is not an issue anymore. It is free of charge, without any discrimination, and we can talk openly about it and get to a point where we do not or should not have to talk about it. It is a treatment for a condition, it is free of charge, general practitioners are educated on it, and that it is part of our school system, where young adults and students in their teens and late teens have really developed a better understanding of sexual health then those of us of an older generation. It is important it is part of that discussion, and it should be part of it.

A previous Senator talked about trans right issues. It is a really important issue. There is a certain section of society that uses social media to denounce and demean people who are in the trans community. We need to have those conversations now in an educational setting among teenagers and young adults. It is important the taboo is removed, that the State recognises the importance of the provision of the treatment, and that we do not have to discuss it anymore.

Since the Minister of State, Deputy Butler is here, I hope we can have a debate maybe next week in this House about the funding of our health service. I know Senator Conway referenced it earlier, and that there is a battle going on at the moment. It seems to be between officials and Ministers. The Minister of State is in the middle of that. Of course we need value for money, but in a big organisation, that can be difficult. We need programmes that are funded, and here is one that Senator O'Reilly has identified. Let us move towards that. I listened to her explanation on radio this morning where she talked about somewhere between €10 million and €15 million. To me, that seems like a very small amount of money in the greater scheme of things and a way of recognising belatedly that this State recognises the requirements of women in society and has due regard for their health and well-being. We should not just talk about it. We should put our money where it is needed, address this issue once and for all, and then have discussions around other programmes in the health service. From what seems to be making its way into the public, it is going to be very challenging next year. I understand where it is at about overruns and how we do not want to always accept that they have to happen but they do happen every year. Let us have a debate about it next week.