Alison Comyn (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I am aware I stand here today as a woman who can count many blessings. Not only at 55 years of age have I been able to embark on this great new chapter in my life, but as a menopausal woman, I can also avail of hormone replacement therapy, or HRT as it is more commonly known, which can greatly alleviate many symptoms of menopause. Now I look around here and these hallowed walls may have started to quake at the mere mention of menopause in years gone by, but I have mentioned it twice and they are still standing. It is good to see that we are making changes. For those less familiar, HRT is not a luxury but a necessity for many women who are prescribed it.It should not only be the preserve of those who can afford it. It can sometimes cost up to €80 per month. Not all women are suitable for HRT but I, and thousands of others who can use it, rejoiced last year when the then Minister for Health, Stephen Donnelly, introduced free HRT right across the board. It was another very welcome advancement for women's health in the country, along with the likes of free contraception. However, this has not gone exactly to plan. The ongoing shortages of the products, which have worsened over the past 12 months, are causing great impacts on women. I would like to debate this issue with our new Minister for Health, Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill. I, and many other women who are struggling to find products, find ourselves meeting in car parks and kitchens, almost carrying out clandestine deals, snipping off parts of patches and sharing pumps of oestrogen gel. Facebook and WhatsApp groups are buzzing with the news that some chemists might have particular patches, which are like gold dust. Many people are resorting to travelling to countries such as Spain or Germany just to get these products. There seems to be a greater supply in other countries. This shortage of products is not new and was flagged several times as a matter of urgency. Women do not want to be plunged back into menopausal side effects.

Speaking to GPs and pharmacists across the country, I have learned that these shortages are a very complex issue. They are the result of negotiations between the Government and pharmaceutical companies and, therefore, I request a debate with the Minister for Health on urgently addressing the supply issue so that the successful roll out of the HRT, as planned at the start of the year, can be carried out.