Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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1103. To ask the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on the period poverty initiatives being rolled out across 26 local authorities, as committed to in the women's health action plan, including the number of local authorities taking part in the scheme thus far in 2022, and the way in which the scheme is being evaluated; the steps that are being taken to address the prioritised groups as outlined in the plan, including women experiencing homelessness, women living with addiction, Traveller and Roma women, and women experiencing consistent poverty. [54897/22]

Frank Feighan (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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This Government is committed to the introduction of measures to address period poverty, evidenced by the commitment made in the Programme for Government and by the actions taken more recently to progress the issue.

The Period Poverty in Ireland Discussion Paper was published in February, 2021 and can be accessed at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/publication/264f4-period-poverty-in-ireland-discussion-paper-period-poverty-sub-committee-national-strategy-for-women-and-girls-20172020-february-2021/

Government has agreed that the recommendations of the Period Poverty in Ireland Discussion Paper be taken into account and that cross-Government, inter-Departmental, interagency and societal support for implementation measures should be sought, including from voluntary and private sector organisations that provide services funded by the State, as well as from public service providers.

The recommendations of the Report include, but are not limited to, consideration of the provision of free period products in public buildings, through publicly funded services and in the context of education.

My Department has established a Period Poverty Implementation Group, with representation from most Government Departments, to achieve cross sectoral input and to co-ordinate oversight of implementation measures recommended in the Discussion Paper. The Period Poverty IG has now met on three occasions, in July and November, 2021, and in March, 2022. Various bilateral meetings have also been held between officials of this Department, other Government Departments, State agencies and NGOs.

In terms of implementation, the most urgent focus is on supporting those most in need (e.g., the homeless, those living with addiction, minorities including Travellers and Roma, and those experiencing consistent poverty). Funding of €0.71m was allocated for this in Budget 2022.

My Department has reached out to local authorities and to the NGO sector, seeking expressions of interest regarding projects that will improve access to period products. To date, 26 Local Authorities have been funded to progress period poverty initiatives; initial progress reports have been returned, all showing that the provision of free products have been well received within their communities. A number of Local Authorities have sent in expressions of interest regarding further funding to expand their pilot period poverty projects to meet demand in 2022. This additional funding will be provided in Q4.

15 NGOs working with people experiencing homelessness, addiction and/or food poverty have been similarly funded; progress reports for NGO projects will be sought at the end of Q4, 2022.

My Department and the HSE are also progressing design and implementation of a period dignity support programme for Travellers and Roma in Community Health Organisation 5 (CHO5, based in the South-East); following initial positive results, the HSE have reached out to offer additional supports to other CHOs in Q3-4.

Period poverty related questions and modules are included in the 2022 Healthy Ireland Survey and Health Behaviour in School Aged Children Study, which will be published later this year and in late 2023 respectively. Once results from these are available, it will be possible to estimate need with much greater accuracy. 

Once the final reports for the local authority, NGO and CHO funding streams have been received, and the Healthy Ireland Survey results finalised and published at the end of 2022, we envisage being able to provide more accurate information in 2023.