The Irish government has expanded the Free Contraception Scheme to include women aged between 32-35.
Following the move, all women aged between 17 and 35 are now covered under the scheme, which was introduced in 2022.
The scheme covers the cost of consultations with GPs, family planning, student health, primary care centres, and prescriptions for the wide range of contraceptive options available on the Health Service Executive (HSE) Re-Imbursement List.
Commenting on the decision, Health Minister Stephen Donnelly said: “Improving access to contraception is a government priority and I’m delighted with the success of the Free Contraception Scheme to date. Almost 2,400 GPs and 2,050 pharmacies offer services under the scheme, with more than 189,000 women accessing these services in 2023.”
“We know that many women in this age group may be planning to start families, with 33 years being the average age to give birth. However, it is important that we continue to support women in providing equitable access to services that allow them to control their reproductive health, avoid unintended pregnancies, and to use hormonal contraceptives to treat adverse symptoms of periods,” he added.
The scheme is available to women, girls, and other people identifying as transgender or non-binary, who are ordinarily resident in Ireland, and for whom prescription contraception is deemed suitable by their doctors.