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move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." I am pleased to introduce the Health (Provision of Contraception Prescribing Service in Retail Pharmacy Businesses) Bill 2026 to the Dáil on behalf of the Minister, Jennifer Carroll MacNeill. The main purpose of the Bill is to make … provision for the inclusion of retail pharmacy businesses as scheme providers and to provide a subset of contraception services referred to in section 67E of the Health Act 1970, the primary framework for the free contraception scheme. The Bill proposes to include pharmacists as prescribers of contraception

move amendment No. 8: In page 5, between lines 20 and 21, to insert the following: “Report on prescription-free oral contraceptives 4.The Minister shall, within six months of the passing of this Act, prepare and lay before Dáil Éireann a report on a proposal to allow registered … pharmacists to dispense prescription-free oral contraceptives.”. This is an amendment looking for a report on the provision of prescription-free oral contraceptives. It calls on the Minister, within six months of the passing of the Act, to lay before Dáil Éireann a report on the proposal

will make a few key points. While we welcome this Bill, we believe that oral contraceptives should be available prescription free. The action plan does not have enough solid commitments when it comes to contraception, and essentially the barriers still exist and exclusion from the scheme is still … issue for some women. The Social Democrats welcome this Bill, which provides for pharmacists to re-prescribe certain contraceptives. However, we stand firm in the belief that oral contraceptives should be available prescription free. They are some of the safest and most thoroughly researched medications available

operation of this subsection, and every year thereafter, prepare and lay before each House of the Oireachtas a report on progress towards making contraception services available without charge to all women which shall include— (a) the number of women who availed of contraception services in the preceding year … class or classes of ages under subsection (5), (c) an assessment of the case for making available under this section the contraception services referred to in subsections (1) and (4) by reference to an age that is under the age of 17 years, (d) an assessment

charge. That is something the Minister might take away and have a think about. Last time we were here we talked about contraception and I will take this opportunity to again raise the matter of prescription-free oral contraceptives. As I have said previously, the World Health Organization … recommends prescription-free access to oral contraceptives. This includes both combined oral contraceptives and progestogen-only pills. This would still be treated as behind-the-counter pharmacy access requiring eligibility screening by trained pharmacists before being dispensed. We must remember pharmacists are highly trained healthcare professionals and they

sensible measure that recognises the expertise of community pharmacists and reduces unnecessary barriers for women who need repeat prescriptions for contraception. Community pharmacists are among the most accessible healthcare professionals in the country. They are embedded in each of our communities. They are trusted and are often more … accessible than a GP. Allowing appropriately trained pharmacists to prescribe repeat contraception following the initial GP consultation will make life easier for women. It will reduce unnecessary GP appointments and ease pressure on primary care. While this Bill is welcome, it also exposes limits that exist

urge the Minister to do the right thing and reverse that decision. Another issue I want to speak about is free contraception. The role of pharmacists in providing free contraception could be expanded. Great progress has been made in recent years and I hope this momentum continues … been making a compelling case for prescription-free contraceptives and pharmacies have been providing emergency contraception without prescription since 2011. There is no clinical reason for not extending this to oral contraception, as recommended by the World Health Organization. We should be making contraception more accessible, particularly

sustainability, environmental responsibility and prudent resource management, initiatives such as MediBack become ever more important. I want to highlight the Health (Provision of Contraception Prescribing Service in Retail Pharmacy Businesses) Act 2026 enabling pharmacists to issue additional prescriptions for some forms of contraception. Patients will be able … seek new prescriptions for short-acting forms of contraception - the progesterone-only and combined hormonal pill patch and ring - throughout the services. Pharmacists, of course, are already able to provide emergency contraception. Needless to say, that will continue. Pharmacists will be enabled to issue repeat prescriptions once

that now. This Bill is the culmination of a couple of years of work begun by my predecessor on the provision of contraception through pharmacies. That work commenced with consideration of the matter by the expert clinical committee on contraception, which was convened by the HSE. The crucial … first instance. That initial prescription has to come from a GP because there are so many contraindications for contraception for so many different types of women. I am aware that in some other countries, some contraceptives are given out over the counter, such as a progesterone-only pill

welcome this legislation that progresses the free contraception available for those aged 17 to 35 and will allow pharmacists to prescribe contraceptive medicines and products. What annoys me is to see that the Government has said the pharmacies will set their fees locally. This is not good enough … this is not free contraception. There has to be something put in place to ensure that the contraceptive is actually free when somebody goes to the counter to purchase it. Pharmacists are entirely capable of providing enhanced care beyond that which they currently do. It is a positive

welcome the opportunity to speak on the Bill. It is a step in the right direction by improving access to contraception through pharmacies. I believe the proposed legislation will be another step forward for women's health, their control over their fertility and improving reproductive rights. It will … towards in Sláintecare, but it is of course is limited. The Bill will bring some benefit for women who have endometriosis and use contraception for this purpose, women in lower income groups and women in rural areas who may not have a medical card or access

based advice to support the continued evaluation of pharmacy and pharmaceutical care in Ireland. In the near future, another important pharmacy service, the contraception prescribing service, will be introduced. This service will enable pharmacists to provide prescriptions for specific forms of contraception to women aged 17 years … over, following an initial prescription. The primary legislation to enable this service, the Health (Provision of Contraceptive Prescribing Service in Retail Pharmacy Business) Act 2026, has been signed into law. Work is ongoing on the necessary secondary legislation. Patients aged 17 to 35, who qualify for free contraceptive

Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland and the Health Products Regulatory Authority, HPRA, have been able to confirm to me that none of the contraceptives to be included in the pharmacy scheme are classified as medical devices. Amendments Nos. 3 to 5, inclusive, essentially look to remove the reference … Pharmacy Act 2007 in order to support the clinical service and associated training requirements that must be fulfilled to provide the contraception-prescribing service. Those sections ensure that the scheme is clearly enabled and cross-referenced through a refreshed legislative framework supporting pharmacy prescription of contraception. Amendments

community pharmacy and provides for the participation of community pharmacy in new services, including bowel screening; immunisation programmes; common conditions service; oral contraception prescription continuation; national condom distribution service; medicines optimisation, commencing with point of care testing; and unused medicines return and disposal. I will speak about each … need from time to time. I very much hope it will be in place by the end of quarter 1 2026. On oral contraception prescription continuation, the continued supply of short-acting reversible contraception by community pharmacists is being progressed in parallel with the common conditions service. That

welcome this Bill. The free contraception scheme launched in 2022 was ground-breaking at the time but access to it has been an issue. In that regard, it is most welcome that prescription rights have been extended to pharmacists by this legislation. The other critical thing is that … those women not eligible for the free contraception scheme - and I will talk about that in a minute - it will lower the cost of renewing their prescription. I think we are all in agreement that when there is no medical need to attend a GP, it makes eminent

been utilised for a long period of time. The broadened scope of their functions now with regard to vaccination, the prescribing of contraception and the safe return of unused medicines is very much to be welcomed. It has been a particular bugbear of mine for a number … greater level of bowel screening and an increase in the age range of people undergoing screening. There is a real issue with free contraception. For most healthy women, having to return to their GP every six months is a cost they should not have to bear. The service

Minister's response, that judgment should not be passed on why a 16-year-old girl might present to a pharmacy seeking contraception. It would be very worrying if the message were to go out that we are trying to control or dissuade behaviours. The history … involved in sexual behaviour at the age of 16. Of course, we know there are other girls who access contraception not because of needing it for the original use but for other health conditions. We need to be very mindful that we want to create a health service

read with interest of this item on contraception. I cannot help noticing it is happening on the day the decision on Bessborough has been made. Considering the whole mother and baby scenario that happened in this country and the devastation faced by so many people born in Bessborough … their children are, it is poignant to have this conversation today. It is fantastic that women aged 17 to 35 can get free contraception. That is excellent but I agree with those who have said it should be extended to whenever child-bearing age ends

scope but this needs to be a firm commitment and it needs to happen sooner rather than later. We need free contraceptives to be offered to women of all ages. The National Women's Council of Ireland undertook a survey of 500 women that was published this year … found one in three still faces barriers to accessing the free contraceptive scheme - women in the Traveller community, women from migrant communities, women with disabilities. Reproductive health and contraception should be accessible to all; there should not be any barriers, particularly for women from marginalised or vulnerable communities

instructions. We recouped more this year in inappropriate claims than in the previous five years combined. That €2.5 million covers the free contraception scheme that we managed to extend for the women of Ireland. There is a logic to budgeting. We put more money in, but we expect … three weeks' time to try to address dental problems in children in schools and on orthodontic lists. We will extend free contraception at a cost of €2 million. We will commence the introduction of the national shingles vaccination programme, which is an exceptionally expensive vaccination. We would like

Later on, we saw a similar situation in regard to the blister packs. Did the Minister consult the pharmacists? The free contraception scheme is another very positive scheme that our pharmacists are crucial in the delivery of. I have raised with the Minister on a number of occasions … would be willing to work with the pharmacists and ensure that everybody over 32 years of age is able to get free contraception. Otherwise, the only explanation is a lack of political will on the part of Government. As we mark World Pharmacists Week and recognise the significant

upcoming secondary legislation, which I know is being worked on at the moment, to provide regulatory guidance and pharmacist training for the contraceptive prescribing service, which will allow repeat prescriptions for some forms of contraception. This is a really important and welcome move. I think especially of those

that. Though that framework should include training and education as well as child protection and legal protections, it should also provide access to contraception and sexual health services where clinically appropriate in line with international guidance on the rights of the child. However, they do not recommend lowering … year-olds have had sex but the majority of those were 17 and therefore eligible for the free contraception scheme. I appreciate the point the Deputy is making. I will go with the clinical guidance on this because I do not want to rush something like that

welcome the Bill. We spend a lot of time inside these Houses talking about other parts of reproductive healthcare and not enough about contraception, so it is really welcome that we are having a focus and discussion on it and are moving forward with changes. On the point … increasing the age group upwards as well. The National Women's Council report found that 31% of women experienced barriers in accessing free contraception and age limit was one of the most cited barriers there as well. It is certainly something that should be considered

would still have to go to a GP in the first instance. If a 15-year-old presented to a GP for contraception that raises questions. Is it to manage a different condition, for example, for which there is evidence or concern? We have discussed endometriosis, for example … that debate some time ago. It is logical and aligned to have sexual activity consent age aligned with the age for accessing free contraception. Those things are logical. The Deputy might conversely say that it is logical around medical consent as well and I appreciate that point also

Deputy Johnny Guirke asked the Minister for Health in relation to the free contraception scheme, the reason commonly used contraceptive medication such as elvina are still excluded; the steps being taken to ensure this scheme becomes genuinely inclusive of all available prescribed contraceptive pills; the processes in place

Minister for Health if she will provide an update on the timeline for the introduction of legislation to enable pharmacists to prescribe contraception under the free contraception scheme, given that the Heads of this Bill were approved in March 2026 and identified as priority legislation in the Government

Health if it has been brought to her attention that the dispensing fee for HRT is less than that allocated to the contraception scheme (details supplied); to consider increasing the HRT to match the contraception scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22066/25

Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health if consideration will be given to expanding the free contraceptive scheme to include long-term, hormone-free contraceptives for women such as the mini-TT 380 copper coil; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10382/25

Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Health if she will consider extending the age for free contraception, which is currently from 17 years to 35 years, to at least 40 years of age; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55642/26

Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health the number of GPs participating in the free contraception scheme, by county, in tabular form. [54412/26

Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health the number of pharmacies participating in the free contraception scheme, by county, in tabular form. [54414/26

Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Health the estimated full-year cost of introducing a fully funded universal contraception scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51333/26

Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Health for an update on the extension of the free contraceptive scheme to all ages; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50433/26

Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health to provide an update on the timeline for an expansion of the free contraception scheme to all people in reproductive age; to provide any costings that have been carried out by her Department; and if she will make a statement

Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the estimated cost of making the contraception scheme universal in scope. [48664/26

Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Health for an update on allowing pharmacies to consult with patients and prescribe for the free contraception scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42934/26

Foreign Affairs and Trade whether her Department requires recipient organisations receiving sexual and reproductive health funding to separately identify expenditure on maternal healthcare, contraception, HIV prevention, post-abortion care, abortion-related advocacy, and abortion-service provision in financial reporting; and if she will make a statement

whether her Department can identify, from existing reporting systems, the proportion of Irish sexual and reproductive health funding allocated specifically to maternal health, contraception, HIV prevention, post-abortion care, and abortion-related advocacy respectively in each year since 2019; and if she will make a statement

Health if she has reviewed the findings of the National Women's Council research report Beyond Availability: Women's Experiences of the Free Contraception Scheme, launched at the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission in April 2026, which found that nearly one in three women may experience barriers

Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health the steps being taken to ensure that information about the free contraception scheme is made available in accessible formats for disabled women and in multilingual formats for migrant communities, particularly in Cork city and county which has a significant

April 2026, if the Women's Health Action Plan 2026-2027: Phase 3 will include plans to examine under 17’s access to contraception as outlined in the National Sexual Health Strategy; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37770/26

Foreign Affairs and Trade whether her Department requires recipient organisations of sexual and reproductive health funding to separate expenditure on maternal health, contraception, HIV prevention, post-abortion care, abortion-related advocacy, and gender-based violence services in financial reporting to the Department; and if she will make

Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health to respond to the National Women's Council's research report on the free contraception scheme (details supplied); if she intends to implement its recommendations; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30868/26

Deputy Cathy Bennett asked the Minister for Health the reason the free contraception scheme excludes women older than 35 years-of-age. [28449/26

Minister for Health to provide an update on the delivery of the programme for Government commitment to continue to extend access to free contraception; the work carried out to date; the timeline she is working towards in expanding the scheme; and if she will make a statement

necessary legislative supports to underpin clinical practice regarding consent and safeguarding, as requested by clinical experts prior to supporting access to free contraception for people under the age of 17 years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [63632/25

Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the rationale for restricting the free contraception scheme to women aged 17–35; if she will outline the evidence base used to determine these age limits; and if she will set out a timeline for the scheme’s extension

Minister for Health whether a cost–benefit analysis has been undertaken to assess the financial and public health impact of extending the free contraception scheme to all women, including those aged 36 and above. [59164/25

Flynn asked the Minister for Health if she has sought legal or equality advice regarding whether the current age restrictions on the free contraception scheme could constitute age discrimination under equality legislation. [59165/25