Irish Examiner view: Delays in fertility treatment stressful when time is of the essence

Waiting times differ greatly between fertility hubs, suggesting chances of seeing a consultant depend on location, with this ‘postcode lottery’ being underlined by the presence of half of the hubs in the capital

Some couples who meet criteria for public funding are opting for private fertility clinics. Picture: PA

Last summer the Government announced that for the first time in the history of the State, there would be publicly-funded reproductive treatment, with eligible couples fully funded for one round of in vitro fertilisation (IVF).

Already, however, there are issues with the scheme. As reported here, couples are facing long delays in getting a consultation to go through State-funded fertility treatment, with figures provided to this newspaper showing that some have to wait nine months.