David Cullinane
Ceist:515. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the estimated cost of making the contraception scheme universal in scope. [48664/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThursday, 25 June 2026
Ceisteanna (515)
Freagraí scríofa
The Free Contraception Scheme (FCS) for women ordinarily resident in Ireland, was launched in 2022. Its remit has been expanded gradually from 17-25 initially to include women aged from 17 to 35 inclusive currently. Approximately €45m is allocated to support the scheme in 2026 and approximately 2,450 GPs, primary care, family planning and student health centres and just over 1,900 community pharmacies across the country are participating in the scheme currently.
The scheme covers the cost of consultations with GPs, primary care, student health and family planning centres and prescriptions for the wide range of contraceptive options available on the HSE Reimbursement List, including long-acting reversible contraception (LARCs: injections, intra-uterine devices and systems (coils) and implants) and emergency contraception in addition to the contraceptive Pill, patch and ring. LARC fittings, removals, injections and check-ups are also free of charge under the scheme.
Access to free contraception is also available on an emergency basis through the National Women and Infants Health Programme (NWIHP), enabling maternity units, hospitals, postnatal clinics, and Sexual Assault Treatment Units (SATUs) to provide free contraception to patients who might have difficulty accessing the scheme through primary care.
These include individuals attending postnatal or post-termination of pregnancy (ToP) appointments, those accessing SATUs in emergency situations, and those facing barriers to accessing contraception through GPs and pharmacies or who may face other challenges that limit access through primary care. NWIHP advise that at least 3,000 women accessed free contraception through their services in 2025.
Similar supports for accessing contraception are in place with the Women’s Health Service, which supports people working in the sex trade. The Women’s Health Service supported over 330 women in 2025.
The Report of the Working Group on Access to Contraception, published in 2019 and available on the Department’s website, laid the foundations for the introduction of the Free Contraception Scheme. In addition to recommending the phased introduction of free contraception, the report also noted that policy proposals must also focus on accessibility, education and workforce capacity as well as cost.
In this regard, another initiative to expand capacity within the FCS is to make additional services available through pharmacies. The landmark Community Pharmacy Agreement, launched in 2025, supports expanding pharmacy services, delivering safe, efficient and accessible healthcare, across Ireland. The Common Conditions Scheme, allowing access to treatment for 8 common conditions through pharmacies, was publicly launched in January 2026. The Agreement supports pharmacy prescription of contraception, under defined clinical circumstances, for which some legislation, the Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act of 2024 (the 2024 Act), is already in place.
In order to enable pharmacy provision of contraception to be delivered free of charge under the FCS, the legal framework for the FCS must be amended to include prescribing pharmacists. Drafting of the necessary legislation is almost complete and will be published as soon as possible. It is envisaged that this measure will support additional capacity for delivery of contraception care.
Research has been undertaken recently to support monitoring of the scheme. The Healthy Ireland Survey, 2025, published last November, examined contraceptive choices, noting a rise in the use of LARCs, especially hormonal coils, after the age of 35. Work is ongoing within NWIHP develop and finalise a scheme to train more staff in the acute sector to fit LARCs, and the ICGP’s LARC training scheme continues to train more GPs.
The Healthy Ireland Survey, 2025, also shows that awareness of the scheme was high in age-groups eligible to access it (86% in 18-25 and 74% in 26-34 year-olds). Qualitative research was published in April, 2026, in partnership with the National Women’s Council of Ireland and TCD, supported by the Women’s Health Fund, to assess awareness of, and access to the scheme amongst key groups. The current age limits and GP access were identified as significant barriers, along with issues affecting specific cohorts of the population. The Report can be accessed here: www.nwci.ie/learn/publication/an_investigation_into_womens_experiences_of_the_free_contraception_scheme .
The Programme for Government, Securing Ireland’s Future, the National Sexual Health Strategy, 2025-2035, the Sláintecare 2025+ Plan and the Women’s Health Action Plans all commit to further sequential expansion of the scheme, such that it eventually encompasses the full reproductive age-range. However, any decision relating to further expansion of the scheme must be considered through the Estimates process in advance of the annual Budget each year.
In terms of additional costs of expansion, there is reasonable certainty that 36-40 year-olds could be included at costs of approximately €5m, based on current service costs for women aged between 30-35 and Healthy Ireland Survey data on contraception use indicating reasonable consistency in use patterns between 25-44 (an age range in which 6-7% of respondents reported not using contraception as they were actively trying to conceive).
There is significantly more uncertainty beyond this age-range and indications of significantly higher LARC use beyond the early 40s; given the need to further expand HCP training, we recommend a continued phased approach. The Healthy Ireland Survey, 2025 can be accessed at: www.gov.ie/en/healthy-ireland/publications/healthy-ireland-survey-2025/ .
While contraception provided through the FCS is very effective at preventing unplanned pregnancy, hormonal contraception does not protect against sexually transmitted infections (STIs). The National Condom Distribution Scheme supports both STI prevention and accessible contraception.
Free condoms can be accessed through the national network of STI clinics, participating charities and NGO partners and on participating 3rd level campuses. Since 2023, free condoms have also been supplied with orders for free home STI testing kits. The NCDS is open to those aged 17 and above. Over 1.2m condoms were distributed in 2025.
The NCDS is being expanded on a phased basis to pharmacy consulting rooms, to further enable contraception availability through pharmacies. Efforts to make NCDS condoms available through more GP consulting rooms are also ongoing.