Barry Ward (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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637. To ask the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 801 of 18 February 2025, the position regarding a timeline for the rollout of State-funded hormone replacement therapy; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8980/25]

Marian Harkin (Sligo-Leitrim, Independent)
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751. To ask the Minister for Health if she will provide a timeline for the rollout of free hormone replacement therapy for women, as announced in Budget 2025; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9640/25]

John Paul O'Shea (Cork North-West, Fine Gael)
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771. To ask the Minister for Health for an update on the delivery of free hormone replacement therapy products and medication; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9747/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 637, 751 and 771 together.

Menopause is an important health and wellbeing issue which has been prioritised as part of the Government’s commitment to improved women’s health outcomes. Much important work has been done in this area, driven by the Women’s Health Taskforce and the Women’s Health Action Plans.

Budget 2025 announced the intention to fund the cost of HRT products prescribed to women to help manage the symptoms associated with all stages of menopause. This new HRT measure represents another step to widen access to and reduce costs associated with menopause related treatments and services and follows on from all the other developments that have taken place over several years.

The new Programme for Government: Securing Ireland’s Future continues to emphasise this important commitment to improving women’s health outcomes and experiences. It also commits to make HRT medicines available at no cost for the drug/product.

Legislation has been passed that means where a woman has been prescribed a HRT product by her healthcare provider to alleviate the symptoms associated with all stages of menopause, the cost of the HRT medications or products will be met by the State.

For the purpose of this measure, menopause means, in relation to a woman, the various stages for the treatment of menopause symptoms and includes perimenopause, post menopause, early menopause, premature menopause and medically induced menopause.

This measure will cover any HRT medications and products which are reimbursable by the HSE, which have been prescribed for the purposes of alleviating the symptoms of menopause. The cost of GP consultation fees and pharmacy dispensing fees are not included in the measure.

My Department has engaged with both the Health Service Executive and the Irish Pharmacy Union (IPU) in relation to the practical rollout of this measure.

I met with the IPU on 11 February 2025 to discuss her objectives for expanding and reforming community pharmacy and to progressing the Budget 2025 HRT initiative. This was a constructive engagement, and I listened to issues raised by the IPU. The IPU committed to coming to back to me regarding the introduction of the HRT measure. The IPU have now responded with further information, and this is being considered by my Department.

The goal is to introduce this measure as soon as possible and reimbursement support will be available to participating pharmacies from the date that this measure commences.