332. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Education and Youth the measures being taken to improve education and awareness around women's health issues, including menstruation, endometriosis, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), and reproductive health, within the primary and secondary school curriculum; whether the Department plans to expand age-appropriate women's health education in schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53458/26]

333. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Education and Youth if her Department has reviewed the extent to which women's health issues, including menstrual health, endometriosis, and PCOS are covered in the SPHE and RSE curricula; the steps being taken to ensure students receive comprehensive and evidence-based education on these topics; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53459/26]

I propose to take Questions Nos. 332 and 333 together.

Menstrual education is included in Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE) across Primary, Junior Cycle and Senior Cycle education.

In the Primary curriculum, menstruation is included under the Health Education strand of the Wellbeing specification.

In Junior cycle and Senior cycle, further opportunities are provided to deepen students’ understanding of reproductive health.  In the context of Junior Cycle SPHE this includes learning about fertility and menstruation.  Classroom learning materials developed to support the new Junior Cycle SPHE curriculum include lessons specifically designed to empower young people to talk openly about menstruation and to seek support and medical advice if they experience ongoing menstrual-related pain and discomfort that interferes with everyday.

In Senior Cycle SPHE students learn about male and female fertility across the life-cycle. In addition, there is a focus on developing young people’s health literacy skills, which includes building their understanding and confidence in accessing reproductive health information and services.

Menstruation education is also included in the Leaving Certificate Biology course.

The Deputy may also wish to note that the Programme for Government,Securing Ireland’s Future, includes a commitment to provide free period products in schools to ensure no student is held back due to period poverty.  I am pleased to confirm to the Deputy that the DEIS Plus Plan, which I announced on 25 March 2026, includes an allocationto fund period products for DEIS Plus schools for the 2026/2027 school year. Further allocations will be sought to expand provision in the future.  Arising from the work of the inter-departmental group led by the Department of Health,the Office of Government Procurement (OGP) established a procurement framework that includes period products across Government departments and other bodies. During development of this Framework, at the request of my Department, it was arranged that it could be accessed by any primary or post-primary school.