3848. Deputy Cathy Bennett asked the Minister for Health the timeframe in which she intends to expand the eligibility criteria of the free contraception scheme. [57990/26]

The Free Contraception Scheme was launched in September 2022, initially for those aged 17-25. It has been gradually expanded and now includes women aged 17-35. Over 2,400 GPs and 1,900 pharmacies have signed up to provide services and products under the scheme to date. The scheme is open to women, girls and other people identifying as transgender or non-binary, who are ordinarily resident in Ireland and for whom prescription contraception is deemed suitable by their doctors.

The scheme covers the cost of consultations with GPs, primary care, student health and family planning centres and prescriptions for the wide range of contraceptive options available on the HSE Re-Imbursement List, including long-acting reversible contraception (LARCs: injections, intra-uterine devices and systems (coils) and implants) and emergency contraception in addition to the contraceptive Pill, patch and ring. LARC fittings, removals, injections and check-ups are also free of charge under the scheme.

Women who have had coils, IUDs, IUSs or implants inserted while eligible under the scheme remain eligible for subsequent checks and free removal of any devices inserted while eligible for the scheme, in order to ensure continuity of care.

A phased introduction of the free contraception scheme was undertaken for a number of reasons:

• A phased approach gives time for additional training in line with service expansion, allowing more medical and other relevant healthcare professionals to be trained to fit, check and remove long acting reversible contraceptives (LARCs; IUS, IUD, implants). The demand for LARCs rises with age.

• The Report of the Working Group on Access to Contraception noted risks regarding the number of GPs qualified to undertake these procedures in 2019, versus likely demand once cost barriers were removed.

• A training scheme, managed by the ICGP, was funded from 2022 and is ongoing. The training scheme is steadily increasing the numbers of GPs with the expertise to fit, check and remove coils and implants. NWIHP are preparing similar training for HCPs working in the Acute sector.

• Budgetary and financial planning guidelines recommend that demand-led schemes, such as the FCS, should be subject to pilot testing and/or phased implementation, in order to monitor the effectiveness of the scheme and manage real-world costs within budget allocations.

• As per the recommendations of the Report of the Working Group on Access to Contraception (published in 2019 and available on the Department’s website), it was decided to commence the scheme with younger age cohorts, as they are most likely to experience unplanned pregnancy and least likely to be financially independent.

Any decision relating to further expansion of the scheme will be considered through the Estimates process in advance of the annual Budget each year.