Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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The Department of Health established the inter-Departmental Period Poverty Implementation Group ("IG"), with representation from most Government Departments, to achieve cross sectoral input and to co-ordinate oversight of implementation measures recommended by the Discussion Paper. As the Department of Health established and chairs this group, some of the detailed information below was sourced from the Department of Health.

The Group met twice in 2023, most recently in December 2023. Representatives from the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform attended these meetings.

The Group is overseeing and co-ordinating the roll-out of period dignity measures. These include:

• Expanding provision of free period products in the bathrooms of public buildings and publicly funded services, with a number of pilot projects ongoing across government and publicly funded services;
• Partnering with services and NGOs to provide period products to those most in need;
• Supporting the evidence base through further research in this area, through representative surveys;

A number of pilot projects are ongoing across public and publicly funded bodies, including in the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform's building on Merrion Street.

The Office of Government Procurement launched a Hygiene Supplies and Period Equality Products procurement Framework in June, 2023, supported by the period poverty Implementation Group. The Framework should enable Government Departments, State Agencies and other publicly funded bodies, including schools and the higher education sector, to source period products and no charge dispensers.

A wide range of products, including those that are sustainable and re-usable, are available through suppliers represented on the Framework. Access details are available at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/press-release/adbc1-ministers-of-state-naughton-smyth-publish-framework-agreement-that-allows-the-public-sector-to-easily-purchase-period-products/.

A key recommendation of the Period Poverty in Ireland Discussion Paper was to address the limited evidence base. Therefore, menstrual health and period poverty questions were included in the Healthy Ireland Survey completed by the Department of Health, and published on the 5th December, 2022.

The Survey found that 24% of women (and 35% of 15-24 year-olds) have experienced at least one indicator of period poverty and 51% of women are limited on occasion from participation in daily activities by period symptoms. The Survey can be accessed at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/publication/f9e67-healthy-ireland-survey-2022/.

A Private Members’ Bill, the Free Provision of Period Products Bill, 2021, passed second stage in the Seanad and is now at Committee stage, having been supported by Government. Co-ordinated by the Period Poverty Implementation Group, work is ongoing to implement Discussion Paper recommendations, including the resourcing and development of pilot projects across a number of sectors that will allow more accurate estimates of likely costs, prior to further progression.