I am a grown woman and I would be really embarrassed if I had to ask the Tánaiste, as my superior, for a tampon. Luckily, here in Leinster House they are freely available in some of the bathrooms, although not all. Although I do not have to ask, many teenage girls must go to their teacher and ask for a tampon or period product, if they are lucky enough that their school supplies period products. In some cases, they are resorting to using newspaper or toilet roll. It is hard enough to concentrate in school without bleeding, bloating or cramping, never mind worrying about leaking. Unfortunately, this is still the case for some teenage girls across the country.

On average, a woman uses 15 to 30 tampons or period products per week, at a cost of €3 to €5 per box. It is an average of €100 per year, which is around the cost of junior GAA membership.

I welcome improvements in some public places. We now have period products in libraries and hospitals.

I know there are two programme for Government commitments under education and health. There is a plan for all DEIS plus schools to have it by 2026 and for all schools to have it by 2027. Can we please put in that they would not have to ask a superior for a period product? They must just be freely available in bathrooms.

I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. She is right about the availability and accessibility, and not having to ask somebody else, particularly somebody who is perhaps in a position of authority, to allow someone to access such an important health product. On foot of her raising the issue, I will engage further with the Minister for education and the Minister for Health.

There are also commitments in the women's health action plan in this area. As the Deputy rightly said, we, as a country, have made good progress on period poverty. We have seen the expansion and roll-out of period products. However, there is more to do in this area.

The DEIS plus plan announced last May included a commitment to fund and provide period products to all DEIS plus schools in the next school year to ensure dignity and that no student is held back due to period poverty. It is intended to expand that provision to all upper primary, post-primary and special schools during the lifetime of this Government. I know from my time as the Minister for higher education that some good work on the issue has been done in our universities and education and training boards, ETBs. On foot of the Deputy raising this, I will stock take on exactly where we are with the roll-out. I am fully in agreement that this is something we need to deliver and try to make progress on in the time ahead.