Up to 100,000 additional women could gain access to free contraception under plans to extend the State’s scheme to older age groups in next week’s Budget.
The scheme currently covers GP visits and prescription charges for contraception for women aged between 17 and 35. The age limit is expected to increase to 37 as part of the health budget, which is due to be finalised on Thursday.
The move would form part of a wider commitment by the Government to expand access to free contraception across the reproductive age range.
Public Expenditure Minister Jack Chambers said Budget negotiations were “coming down to the wire”, with key decisions on health and education expected to be made on Thursday.
He said the Government wanted to deliver measures that would help households manage rising costs.
“We want a package that supports people with the cost of living and that means adjustments on income tax as well as continued certainty for people through the winter, particularly on energy issues,” Mr Chambers said.
The Programme for Government, the National Sexual Health Strategy 2023-2035, Sláintecare and the Women’s Health Action Plan have all committed to further expanding the free contraception scheme.
Health Minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill previously told the Dáil that each additional eligible age would cost approximately €1 million a year. Extending the scheme to women aged between 36 and 40 would therefore cost about €5 million annually.
The Government has also indicated that access to contraception through pharmacies will be expanded, with women expected to be able to obtain contraception directly from pharmacists in the near future.
The National Women’s Council has called for the scheme to go considerably further, arguing that women should be covered up to the age of 55.
NWC health spokeswoman Paula Pinzon Hernandez said the Government should “definitely go all the way” and suggested combining contraception support with the State’s hormone replacement therapy scheme to cover women throughout their reproductive journey.
She also highlighted concerns that some women are currently unable to access the scheme because of the requirement for a PPS number.
Undocumented migrants, asylum seekers and residents of International Protection Accommodation Service facilities can therefore face difficulties accessing the benefit.
Access to GPs is another issue, particularly in areas where waiting times are long or specialist family-planning services are unavailable.
Around €45 million was allocated to the free contraception scheme this year. Expanding eligibility to women up to the age of 55 has been estimated to cost up to €80 million.
The State also provides free condoms to people aged 17 and over through third-level institutions, NGOs and sexual health clinics.
More than 1.2 million condoms were distributed through the National Condom Distribution Scheme last year.
