Sorca Clarke
Question:162. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health the steps she is taking to address ongoing concerns that women's health issues are not being taken seriously enough within the public health system. [28373/26]
View answerTuesday, 21 April 2026
Questions (162)
Written answers
The Women’s Health Action Plans 2022-2023 and 2024-25 together with significant Government investment, have resulted in vital improvements to women’s health services in Ireland. The work of the Women’s Health Taskforce and the implementation of these Action Plans has also increased awareness of many women’s health issues, both among the public and amongst healthcare professionals.
My department, in conjunction with the Women's Health Taskforce, is developing the 3rd phase of the Women's Health Action Plan due to be published in due course.
Significant progress and investment have been made in Women’s Health since the publication of the Women’s Health Action Plan. Underscoring the Government’s commitment to Women’s Health has been the investment of dedicated additional funding of over €180 million since 2020.
This significant investment in recent years is aligned to the Government’s continued strong commitment in the Programme for Government to” further developing the transformation in women’s healthcare”.
Progress/Achievements since 2020:
Developments from the additional €180 million investment include:
The establishment of 13 Postnatal Hubs• , as of February 2026, giving women access to postnatal care in community setting. Additional funding of will initiate four further Hubs, bringing the national network to 13.
• A total of €28 million in new development funding has been invested to the National Maternity Strategy transforming our maternity services for women and babies. Through this funding, over 550 additional full-time staff have been funded across maternity services, including 44 consultants and 381 nurses and midwives.
• The Free Contraception Scheme launched 2022 and is available to all women and girls aged 17-35 inclusive.
• Additional ‘See-and-Treat’ Ambulatory Gynaecology Clinics have been opened bringing the total to 18 clinics, with three more in development.
• From July 2024, over €830,000 has been provided by the Women’s Health Action Plan in funding to drug services for women with complex needs. This is part of an initiative to reduce drug-related harms and premature deaths among this cohort.
• There are 2 supra-regional Specialists Endometriosis Centres supported by 5 regional specialist centres.
• 6 Specialist Menopause Clinics are operational with expanded hours.
• 2 phases of National Menopause Campaign was launched in 2022 and 2023. The campaign was a direct response to the demand from Irish women for greater knowledge and understanding of menopause as well as better access to accurate information and supports so that they can proactively manage their experience.
• From 1st June 2025, free HRT has been provided to women experiencing menopause. Free HRT is available where it has prescribed to a woman by her healthcare provider for the purpose of alleviating the symptoms associated with all stages of Menopause.
• 6 Regional Fertility Hubs are now in operation in public maternity hospitals.
• The first public National Assisted Human Reproduction Centre to provide publicly funded, publicly delivered treatment opened.
• From 30th June 2025, an important criterion for accessing state-funded AHR treatment has been broadened. Couples with one existing child in their relationship, and who meet all the other current access criteria, can now access publicly funded AHR treatment, including one full cycle of IVF or ICSI.
• A new National Perinatal Genomics Service is being established to ensure women have access to critical testing both during pregnancy, and in planning for future pregnancies.
• All 19 maternity hospitals are providing full Termination of Pregnancy services.
• Legislation providing for Safe Access Zones has been enacted and came into operation in October 2024.
• A target date for the elimination of Cervical Cancer date (2040) was announced in November 2023 and in March 2025, funding of €530,000 for cervical cancer elimination was allocated from the Women’s Health Fund. The Cervical Cancer Elimination Action Plan 2025-2030 sets out the next steps, which include an emphasis on increasing vaccination and screening rates in underserved communities.
Period Dignity• initiatives have been supported annually since 2022, in line with the Women’s Health Action Plans. These measures are aimed at people living with consistent poverty, homelessness and addiction and at minority groups including Travellers and Roma. Period dignity supports are provided through the HSE Health Regions, Local Authorities, Family Resource Centres and other community partners
• In March 2025 the Minister for Health launched funding for three applied University College Dublin Projects on Women’s Heart Health aimed at improving cardiovascular health in women. These initiatives focus on, postpartum cardiovascular risk assessment, addressing social determinants of health in heart failure (HF) and enhancing early cardiovascular diagnostic strategies for women.
6 Mental Health Multidisciplinary Teams• have been put in place for pregnant women and women with a baby up to one year old who may have an existing or new mental health problem. In addition, Perinatal Mental Health Midwife posts are now in place across 13 sites.
• There are now 16 multidisciplinary Eating Disorder Teams in place across the country, with 2 more coming on stream in 2026.
• We have established a National Venous Thromboembolism Programme which focuses on pregnant women and women experiencing menopause.
• The Women’s Health Fund was established in Budget 2021 and has supported a range of priority services for Women’s Health. Over 100 initiatives have been supported to date through this fund.
Myself and this Government will continue to work to improve the health, wellbeing and healthcare experiences of girls and women in Ireland. The Women’s Health Taskforce is dedicated to listening to the voices of all women and girls. A Women's Experiences of Healthcare in Ireland Listening Forum was held in 2025, and two Endometriosis Patient Listening Forums were held in 2025 and 2026 to continue to hear directly from women on their experiences.
It is important to share opinions and experiences in order to continue to make developments in women’s healthcare. Any member of the public is welcome to submit their views to the Taskforce via email: WomensHealthTaskforce@health.gov.ie.