Date: 12 October 2021
The Green Party has welcomed the government announcement today (October 12) that free access to contraception will be given to women and girls aged 17-25. The scheme is part of a €31 million package for women’s health announced for Budget 2022.
The Green Party has long campaigned for free access to contraception, securing a commitment in the Programme for Government and bringing a motion to the Seanad in December 2020 to seek action on this commitment.
Green Party TD, Steven Matthews who has raised this issue on several occasions with the Department of Health in recent months welcomed this announcement. Discussing the news, Deputy Matthews said:
“This has been a long-term policy of the Green Party and frequently came up on the doors when I was campaigning during the general election. I must commend in particular my Green Party colleagues, Deputy Neasa Hourigan and Senator Pauline O’Reilly who as recently as 2 weeks ago held a public event calling for this measure to be enacted in the budget. What is absolutely clear is that without the Green Party at the table, this policy would not have been enacted.
“Access to free contraception will give young women control over their own bodies, regardless of their financial means. This is an important measure that we negotiated to include in the Programme for Government and I’m proud that we have delivered on that commitment today.
“Prioritising women’s health care is essential to ensuring we have an equal Ireland for every woman. Repealing the Eighth Amendment was a huge leap forward but it’s not the only reproductive care that is needed. While this is a very positive step in the right direction, I look forward to continuing my work with my Green Party colleagues to continue our push for progress in women’s healthcare and the development of a scheme for universal free contraception in the lifetime of this government.
Comments