The Irish Family Planning Association has suspended services to medical card holders at its main Dublin clinic citing lack of funding from the HSE.
The IFPA said in a statement that funding had been “exhausted” and that no additional funding was to be made available to cover medical card services at the Cathal Brugha Street facility. However, the HSE has said that the group had exceeded its agreed funding and were warned to take action in July.
The group said medical car holders to go to their GP for family planning and women’s health services. It added that there had been a substantial increase in demand for services over the last number of months.
“Already this year, we have provided over 4,000 appointments to medical card clients from our city centre clinic,” IFPA Chief Executive Niall Behan.
“The suspension of our services may have serious consequences for these clients in their choice of contraception. It may also lead to an increase in crisis pregnancy,” Mr Behan added.
“The loss of the IFPA service to medical card holders further compounds the barriers faced by vulnerable and disadvantaged groups in accessing contraception. Indeed, it also shows that the first to bear the brunt of HSE cuts are those who can least afford to access quality sexual and reproductive healthcare.”
The HSE said in a statement that it provided funding to the IFPA on an annual basis. It said the level of funding is limited to an agreed allocation discussed at various local service level agreement meetings throughout the year.
"The Irish Family Planning Association were advised in July of this year that additional funding would not be available to address expenditure over-runs and were requested to review the service to ensure they remain within their available budget allocation," the statement added.
"However IFPA have exceeded their budget over the past number of years despite clear agreements in place for funding. This service can also be accessed through local General Practitioners.
"The HSE remains available to work with the Irish Family Planning Association prioritising service provision within the allocated budget agreed to operate the service."
