Gino Kenny (Dublin Mid West, People Before Profit Alliance)
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692. To ask the Minister for Health if a legislative framework to support the rolling out of free contraception for persons aged 17 to 25 years is on track to be before the Houses of the Oireachtas before the summer 2022 recess; the work that is currently taking place to address concerns regarding capacity among providers and the need for additional training and certification in long acting reversible methods of contraception in order that women and girls are offered the best possible range of options; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12998/22]

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; roll-out is scheduled to commence in August 2022.

The scheme will provide for:

1.The cost of prescription contraception;

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

3. The cost of fitting and/or removal of various types of long-acting reversible contraception (LARCs) plus any necessary checks, by medical professionals certified to fit/remove same;

4. The cost of training and certifying additional medical professionals to fit and remove LARCs;

5. Provision of contraceptive options currently available to GMS (medical) card holders through this scheme, to include contraceptive injections, implants, IUS and IUDs (coils), the contraceptive patch and ring, and various forms of oral contraceptive pill, including emergency contraception.

For items such as the contraceptive pill, these are typically prescribed at 6 month intervals, so two consultations allows for full provision. For LARCs, (e.g. IUS, IUD, implants, injections, patches and rings), where the fittings/injections are carried out by healthcare professionals, fitting and removal appointments are also provided for separately, in addition to the two consultations.

Work on the legislative framework for the scheme is ongoing. A number of legislative options are currently being explored in this regard. It is envisaged that the legislative framework will be in place to underpin the planned commencement of the scheme in August, as scheduled.

Formal negotiations with medical and other relevant representative bodies with regard to service provision are due to commence in March 2022. The design of information and publicity campaigns to support and promote the roll out of the scheme will be finalised in the coming months.

The capacity within the health system to fit and remove LARCs was examined by the Working Group on Contraception; the Report is available on the Department's website. At time of publication in 2019, there were over 1,000 GPs holding LARC certification and that there was scope for enabling practitioners to develop their skills further by promoting further integration between the hospital and community sector and developing local centres of expertise in sexual and reproductive health services.

As part of the Budget 2022 allocation, funds are being made available for additional training capacity with respect to certification of medical professionals to fit and remove LARCs. The HSE is currently working on preparing to roll out these additional training supports.