Contraception is free, but it's not reaching everyone who needs it

Migrant, Traveller, and disabled women, along with older women and members of the LGBT+ community, face significant barriers accessing the scheme, new research shows

New research shows 31% of women experience barriers in accessing the free contraception scheme.

The free contraception scheme, introduced in 2022, has been one of the key advancements for women’s health in recent years, reaching more than 200,000 women. Ground-breaking in its aims, the scheme intends to make contraception free to every woman who needs it between the ages of 17 and 35.

It was first mooted during the campaign to repeal the 8th amendment, a much-needed companion piece to enabling women to make their own decisions about reproduction. And as many women know, contraception is used for much more than preventing pregnancy — from alleviating painful periods, to regulating hormones during menopause.