Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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295. To ask the Minister for Health if he will address a matter in relation to a measure in Budget 2022 (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51751/21]

Frank Feighan (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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The Programme for Government commits to providing free contraception for women, starting with the 17-25 age cohort; accordingly, funding for free contraception, starting with women aged 17-25, has been allocated in 2022.

The scheme will provide for:

- The cost of prescription contraception;

- The cost of fitting and/or removal of various types of long-acting reversible contraception and administration of contraceptive injections plus any necessary checks, bymedical professionals certified to fit/remove same;

- The cost of training and certifying additional medical professionals to fit and remove long-acting reversible contraception;

- The cost of a maximum of two consultations per annum with GPs and other doctors to discuss forms of contraception suitable for individual patients and to enable prescription of same.

- Training and certification of additional GPs to fit long-acting reversible contraception

It is envisaged that a wide range of contraceptive options, currently available to medical card holders, will be made available through this scheme. This includes contraceptive injections, implants, various types of intrauterine system (IUS) or device (IUD; commonly known as the coil), the contraceptive patch and ring, and various forms of oral contraceptive pill.

The initiative is gradually being introduced by age cohort, starting with younger women who are least likely to be financially independent and where cost has been shown to be a greater barrier to accessing the most effective forms of contraception, long acting, reversible contraception, or LARCs.

Providing free contraception to the age cohort of 17-24 year old women was one of the recommended options in the Report of the Working Group on Access to Contraception  This was extended to 17-25 year-olds in the Program for Government and this is the rationale for the initial rollout announced in Budget 2022