LIMERICK TD and Minister of State Niall Collins has described Minister Donnelly’s intention to introduce free contraception as a welcome, necessary and progressive step in providing a more complete reproductive healthcare service for women in Ireland.
Minister and Local TD Niall Collins stated – “In my role as Minister of State in the Department of Further and Higher Education, I was in touch over the Summer with my colleague, Minister for Health, Stephen Donnelly to progress the rollout of free contraception.”
“I am acutely aware that as students return to campus, and young people return to training and work, the additional financial burden of effective contraception choice needs to be addressed.”
“Research by the Well Woman Centre, medical professionals and a recently published UCC study have highlighted the link between unplanned pregnancies and the cost of contraception.”
The report originally began work back in 2019, when the intention was to provide free contraception by 2021 when current Minister for Higher Education Simon Harris was Health minister, but given the elections in 2020, the pandemic and then the reshuffle of ministerial positions, the motion wasn’t picked up until Green party TD’s pushed for it in December last year.
“The Well Woman research demonstrated that over 75% of women in the 17-24 year old age group were relying on less effective short-acting contraception such as condoms and the contraceptive pill. The UCC study of more than 1800 sexually active students, found that 55% reported they were relying on the condom and 40% were relying on the pill.”
“In many cases the most effective type of contraception, such as the coil and other long acting reversible contraception, is out of reach because of the up front cost. This is particularly true for young women. It is up to twenty times more effective as contraception and also more cost effective than other forms of contraception over a five year period.”
“Minister Stephen Donnelly’s intention to introduce free contraception as part of Budget 2022 underlines Fianna Fail’s tangible demonstration of our strong commitment to women’s health.”
