The Deputy will be aware from my reply to his recent parliamentary question that the Programme for Government contains a commitment to “provide a range of free, adequate, safe, and suitable period products in all educational publicly-funded settings (including schools, colleges and HEIs), to ensure that no students are disadvantaged in their education by period poverty.”
Last year, a pilot was rolled out to nine further education and training colleges across six Education and Training Boards (ETBs), at a cost of circa €17.5k. The pilot called ‘Worryfree’ delivered free, sustainable period products and dispensers for students in participating ETBs.
The Deputy will be aware that my department allocates recurrent funding to further and higher education institutions by way of a grant towards their ongoing running costs. Some ETBs and HEIs have piloted period poverty initiatives from their own resources. However, to date my Department has not provided any additional funding beyond that provided in 2022 for the Worryfree pilot.
My Department continues to actively engage with the Period Poverty Implementation Group established under the auspices of the Department of Health. As previously advised, a drawdown contract is being developed for the provision of period products in education establishments and other public institutions. It is anticipated that this new drawdown contract will be in place before the summer.
