Mary Fitzpatrick (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for the reply from the Government and the Minister for Health. It is welcome and at least outlines what the clear path would be, and the requirement for primary legislation. We will pursue this with the Minister. It is important to note - and I had noted - that HRT is freely available on the medical card, and this is welcome. However, not every woman has a medical card. No woman should have to beg for a medical card to get HRT.

It is not always easy to diagnose that what a woman is going through is menopause. There are many symptoms, and women are sent on wild goose chases trying to identify and diagnose what exactly is wrong with them. It does not work for every woman, but there is a significant barrier for all women who do not have a medical card, namely, cost. It is an issue of equity for all women. I do not think women should be kept at this disadvantage. There would be a significant advantage in removing this barrier of cost. It would be a significant investment in women's health, not only for the individual women but also in the context of the ability of women to participate fully in society, in their families, in their communities and in their workplaces. I will pursue the matter further with the Minister and the Government.