Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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The free contraception scheme for women aged 17 -25, ordinarily resident in Ireland, was launched on 14th September, 2022. Its remit has been expanded gradually to include women aged from 17 to 31 inclusive, from January 1st, 2024. Approximately €43.9m has been allocated to support the scheme in 2024 and approximately 2,400 GPs, primary care, family planning and student health centres and 2,050 community pharmacies have contracts with the HSE to provide services under the scheme.

The scheme covers the cost of consultations with GPs, primary care, student health and family planning centres and prescriptions for the wide range of contraceptive options available on the HSE Re-Imbursement List, including long-acting reversible contraception (LARCs: injections, intra-uterine devices and systems (coils) and implants) and emergency contraception in addition to the contraceptive Pill, patch and ring. LARC fittings, removals, injections and check-ups are also free of charge under the scheme.

Women who have had coils, IUDs, IUSs or implants inserted while eligible under the scheme will remain eligible for subsequent checks and free removal of any devices inserted prior to their 32nd birthday, to ensure continuity of care.

Full figures for 2023 are not yet available, but preliminary figures for Q1-3, 2023 indicate that approximately 185,000 individuals have benefitted from the scheme in the first three quarters of the year, and that the scheme has been operating within its allocated budget.

The potential to introduce a wider role for pharmacists and the use of 12 month-prescriptions for some forms of contraception are being considered by my Department’s Pharmacy Taskforce, which is working on legislation to underpin a wider role for pharmacists. It is envisaged that this will be progressed in Q1-Q2, 2024.

It is important to note that prescription contraception, while being very effective at preventing unplanned pregnancy, does not protect against sexually transmitted infections (STIs). The National Condom Distribution Scheme supports both STI prevention and accessible contraception for men and their partners. Free condoms can be accessed through the national network of STI clinics, participating charities and NGO partners and on participating 3rd level campuses. Since 2023, free condoms have also been supplied with orders for free home STI testing kits.