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Free contraception for women aged 17 to 25 will become available from today at primary care centres, GPs and pharmacists who sign up to provide services under the scheme.
The free contraception scheme was allocated funding of €9 million in last year’s Budget and was officially launched today by Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly.
All consultations needed to access prescription contraception, fitting and removing Long-Acting Reversible Contraception (LARCs) will be free.
Service providers will be signing contracts with the HSE from today and over the coming weeks to provide services under the scheme.
Minister Donnelly said that women’s health is a top priority for the Government and was strongly supported in Budget 2022.
He said that today represents another big milestone in the delivery of our commitments, under the Women’s Health Action Plan 2022 – 2023 to improve all areas of women’s healthcare.
“Access to free contraception was a key recommendation accompanying the Repeal of the Eighth Amendment to the Constitution and is a key element of the Women’s Health Action Plan,” said Minister Donnelly.
“The scheme, a vital Programme for Government commitment, puts women aged 17–25 at its centre in providing a full suite of options for them to choose which form of contraception works best for them.
“We are removing any financial barriers to the age cohort for whom such barriers are most likely to be an issue.”
