The Government has approved legislation which will see free contraception rolled out for young women between the ages of 17 and 25.
Women aged 17 to 25 will be able to avail of a free contraception scheme under an amendment to the Health (Exemptions from Charges for Acute In-Patient Services) Bill 2022.
At today's Cabinet meeting, government ministers gave the go-ahead for the legislation to be published in the coming days and then brought through the Dail.
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In Budget 2022, the government confirmed that a program to offer free contraception would be introduced.
The Department of Health has estimated that it can save young women who use contraception hundreds of euro per year.
A 2019 report identified several barriers to accessing contraception for a large portion of society, including accessibility, education, and cost.
The scheme is also expected to provide for the cost of prescriptions, injections, and the fitting and or removal of long-term reversible contraceptive methods.
In a statement, Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly said that the measure “aims to remove cost barriers to contraception for women aged 17 to 25."
He said it will be “particularly significant for those who are just above the means-tested limits for medical and GP visit cards, or who may still be in full-time education and financially dependent on parents and guardians”.
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