HSE records major rise in number of women accessing free contraception

Data provided by the HSE’s Primary Care Reimbursement Service shows 253,390 unique patients accessed supports between last summer and the end of July this year. The first nine months of the scheme had seen 150,000 unique patients, previous figures showed.

The pill — combined oral contraceptive oestrogen and progestogen — remains the most popular long-term choice with 130,858 women opting for this method. This was followed by the mini-pill — progesterone only pill — with 33,203 women taking it.

A further 32,144 women opted for long-acting reversible contraceptive methods including 4,816 women having depo injections and 13,901 opting for an IUD (intrauterine device placed in the womb) with progesterone.

The figures also show 57,185 women accessed the morning after pill.

Dr Laura Cullen, director of women’s health with the Irish College of GPs, said women are “just very eager” now to be informed.

The Bantry, West Cork GP said: “People are just more comfortable. It’s a cultural normalisation in some respects and it has just opened the doors even more, which is the way it is should be.” 

Health Minister Stephen Donnelly has also sought to bring the age down to 16. The age of consent to sexual activity is 17 in Ireland.

Dr Cullen said any such change is a legislative issue and not for GPs to decide upon.

"I can’t speak on behalf of the college about this but as a GP myself we would often like to be in a position to protect girls that are either going to be sexually active soon or are already sexually active," she said.