Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

1138. To ask the Minister for Health the position in relation to urgent support being provided for a child in Cork (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44451/24]

Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly as soon as possible.

Martin Kenny (Sligo-Leitrim, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

1139. To ask the Minister for Health if he can provide an update on the expected rollout of the free HRT scheme, including any plans his Department has for pharmacists regarding managing dispensing charges. [44460/24]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Progressing women's health is a key priority for me and my Department. Significant progress has been made in the area of women's health in recent years and has been supported by Government investment of over €180m for targeted new developments in women’s healthcare since 2020. This has ensured new services in menopause and endometriosis, the roll-out of free contraception, publicly funded IVF, and a range of initiatives to deliver more timely care to women.

Most recently, as part of Budget 2025, €20 million is being made available from January 2025 for the provision of state-funded Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) products for women experiencing symptoms of menopause.

HRT is the most commonly used treatment for managing menopausal symptoms and has been shown to be the most effective intervention for managing these symptoms for all stages of menopause.

This measure includes the provision of HRT products, prescribed for the treatment of symptoms associated with all stages of menopause, without charge, to women who are resident in the State. This is in circumstances where HRT has been deemed clinically appropriate for a woman and is prescribed by her healthcare provider.

An Expert Advisory Group has been established and meets regularly to consider all the legal, clinical and administrative matters prior to the introduction of this measure in January 2025.

On 15th October, Government approval was given for the drafting of amendments as a priority to the Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2024 to insert provisions to provide the legislative basis for State-funded HRT relating to menopause. The Health Insurance (Amendment) and Health (Provision of Menopause Products) Bill 2024 completed all stages in Dáil Éireann on 23rd October and will progress to the Seanad in early November.

When the new HRT measure is operational in January 2025, there will be no change where HRT products are dispensed under the community drugs schemes, such as the medical card. Under these schemes, pharmacists are paid a dispensing fee by the State. The cost of the HRT products dispensed outside of these schemes will be reimbursable to the pharmacist that dispenses it. Therefore, women will not be charged for the cost of the product. However, the pharmacist may apply a dispensing fee for supplying the HRT product, which is a commercial matter for individual pharmacies.