Possibility of providing free contraception to be examined

A working group has been instructed to examine the feasibility of free contraception by Minister for Health Simon Harris.

In particular he wants it to look at the extent to which cost is a barrier to people using contraception and any other obstacles. These could include regulatory issues, such as age limits, or legal difficulties. It will forward recommendations to the Minister.

"One of the key recommendations of the Oireachtas committee on the Eighth Amendment was to improve access to contraception. We have taken a number of steps in increasing access to condoms this year," said Mr Harris.

“Now, I want to ensure that we complete the next big body of work in this area. This work will take a number of months to complete but it will deliver a clear pathway forward. Cost should not be a barrier to accessing contraception and I am determined to address this.

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“The benefits are clear. This will help reduce the number of crisis pregnancies and promote good sexual health. I look forward to receiving the outcome of this work later this year.”