Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Solidarity)
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763. To ask the Minister for Health the estimated cost of providing free contraception, in view of the Citizens Assembly recommendations in relation to the provision of contraception on the public health service and the upcoming discussion of this at the Special Joint Committee on the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution; his views regarding the policy on same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36834/17]

Catherine Byrne (Dublin South Central, Fine Gael)
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The HSE has advised my Department that in the absence of the collation of information required to make an estimate along the lines requested by the Deputy, an estimate of such cost is not possible.

I have great regard for the important body of work with which the Special Joint Committee on the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution has been charged - namely to consider the report of the Citizens’ Assembly and to recommend to the Oireachtas the policy direction it should consider on the issue of the Eighth Amendment.

I will not be pre-empting the deliberations of the Committee, but look forward to its report in due course.