The Seanad has heard calls for universal access to free contraception to be made available to everyone in the State.
The current programme for government commits to rolling contraception out freely for all women aged between 17 and 25.
Green Party Senator Pauline O'Reilly has called for the move to be fast-tracked and to cover people of all ages.
The women of Ireland are now owed proper health care. Today in the Seanad myself and my @greenparty_ie colleagues brought forward a motion to roll out free access to contraception to women and girls aged 17 to 25 as a matter of priority # makeitfree pic.twitter.com/d8ne9yO6om
— Senator Pauline O'Reilly (@paulinegalway) December 15, 2020
“We need to see a roll-out of free contraceptives for women and girls aged between 17 and 25, as outlined, it was a recommendation in the committee on the Eighth Amendment,” she said.
“Also, we want to see a plan on the roll-out of universal access to free contraceptives.
“This isn’t just about healthcare, it’s also a human right and in particular, a women’s healthcare right."
#MakeItFree "It’s not that easy get contraception. And unfortunately still, as a nation, we’re not always empowered to ask for it when we want it. That’s why it needs to be free." @RoisinGarvey - watch back here 👀➡️https://t.co/qJ0aWswNP6 pic.twitter.com/JGAf50FU4q
— Green Party Ireland (@greenparty_ie) December 15, 2020
Ms O’Reilly’s Green Party colleague, Senator Roisin Garvey, said contraception can be particularly expensive in pubs and nightclubs.
“It could be a tenner for a three-pack or something, so that’s just ridiculous, that’s so 1970s or 80s, and that’s where it’s still at,” she said.
“That’s not good enough anymore, we have to trust our young people have got much more cop-on than we had.
“We have to give them these choices and we have to show them that we have moved with the times and we can’t be stuck in the dark ages, saying you know, say three Hail Marys and wait ‘til you’re married because that’s just a joke and an insult to every young person now.”
