Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 7 December 2021
528. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Health the terms of references for and the membership of the contraception implementation group that was established under his Department to support the roll-out of free contraception; the number of times this group has met since its first meeting in July 2021; the work plan submitted to him by the group; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60024/21]
View answerThe Contraception Implementation Group contains representation from the following policy areas: health and wellbeing, sexual health, women’s health, bioethics, and primary care, including medicines, pharmacy, GP and GMS (medical card) services and policy.
The Group will also appoint additional representation as deemed necessary, to be drawn from Department of Health or the HSE.
The Contraception Implementation Group met initially on the 28th July, 2021 and has met on a further three occasions.
In terms of the workplan, the primary purpose of the Contraception Implementation Group is the implementation of the scheme for free contraception scheme for women aged 17-25 years old announced in the Budget and the officials involved on the group are actively working on this. The details of the scheme were announced after the Budget and can be accessed here:
www.gov.ie/en/press-release/830c2-minister-donnelly-secures-free-contraception-for-women-aged-between-17-25-years-in-budget-2022/
The terms of reference of the Contraception Implementation Group are as follows:
The Implementation Group will oversee, coordinate and support the lead Unit in terms of:
1. the implementation of the significant cross-Governmental and societal measures necessary to implement free contraception on a statutory basis, for women ordinarily resident within the State.
2. The introduction of free contraception for 17-25 year old women initially, as per recommendations in the Programme for Government, 2020 and the Joint Oireachtas Committee on the 8th Amendment to the Constitution, by the end of 2022.
3. Consultation with relevant stakeholders on necessary legislative change, Budgetary, eligibility, contract negotiations and other relevant matters.
4. Progression of legislation to establish eligibility for free contraceptive to women aged 17-25 in the first instance, while also planning for the longer-term inclusion of wider age cohorts
5. Requests for funding, through the annual Estimates and HSE National Service Plan process,
6. Work to align the provision of free contraception with wider HSE and DoH policy and strategy in the areas of sexual health, obstetrics and gynaecology, women’s health, Primary Care and other relevant policy areas.
7. Negotiation with representative bodies, as appropriate, regarding inclusion of contraception in relevant service contracts, regulations and guidelines.
8. Play an advisory role in informing and supporting Health &Wellbeing Programme “H&WP” and the Women’s Health Taskforce if necessary, in terms of design of information and publicity campaigns to support and promote the roll-out of the scheme, once enabling legislation is enacted
9. Play an advisory role in informing and supporting H&WP in terms of making provision for Surveys, focus groups and other monitoring mechanisms, and collating data from the Primary Care Re-imbursement Service, MyOptions service, HSE Sexual Health and Crisis Pregnancy Programme and termination of pregnancy services, in order to monitor the impact of implementation.
