Mary Fitzpatrick (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I acknowledge the work being done by the Department, the Minister of State, the Minister and all of the stakeholders. It is good news. Women will be pleased to hear that there is a date of 7 March for Estradot transdermal patches. That in and of itself is really positive news. I ask the Minister of State to go back to the Department and ask for a date by which HRT will be made available for free. I appreciate a negotiation has to take place between the Department, community pharmacists and the Irish Pharmacy Union but I urge the Department to conclude those negotiations as soon as possible. It is almost discriminatory that women of menopausal age are not availing of free HRT in the same way women of a fertile age can avail of free contraception, as is right, and they get two free GP visits. Free HRT should be dispensed in the same manner as free contraception. It should be treated as just a continuum of women's fertility, health and journey. I urge the Minister of State in her new role to work to achieve that outcome.