We need fertility policy that reflects reality
We need fertility policy that reflects reality - The Labour Party
- New parliamentary question finds no State plan for egg freezing
Labour’s Deputy Conor Sheehan has said Government must examine a publicly funded egg freezing scheme, following a parliamentary question response confirming there are no current plans to introduce such supports.
Deputy Sheehan said the absence of forward planning on fertility options highlights a failure to respond to the reality facing people across Ireland and called on Government to bring forward proposals that support people to have children when they are ready.
Deputy Sheehan said:
“It’s disappointing to see Government once again kicking this issue down the road. We know that more and more people are delaying starting a family, often because of the housing crisis and the sheer cost of living. For many, the chance to have children is slipping further and further out of reach. Yet despite this reality, Government has confirmed that there are no plans to examine or introduce a publicly funded egg freezing scheme, nor any detailed costing or analysis of how such a scheme could work. That is simply not good enough.
“At a time when people are making difficult and deeply personal decisions about their futures, the State should be stepping up, not stepping back. Across Europe, countries are beginning to recognise the need to provide greater flexibility and support around fertility. France has already taken steps to introduce publicly funded egg freezing for non-medical reasons, recognising that people are delaying parenthood due to economic and social pressures. By covering the cost through its public health system, it has provided a real, practical option for those who want to preserve their fertility. Government should be taking a lead from countries like France and seriously examining how a publicly funded egg freezing option could be made available to those who choose it. Instead, what we see is delay, deferral and a narrow approach that fails to reflect modern life.
“Time and again, women’s health is treated as an afterthought in Ireland. While other countries move ahead with practical support, Ireland continues to delay and defer. We need proactive, forward-thinking policies that reflect the reality of today, not continued inaction. The current model of care focuses narrowly on couples already experiencing infertility, but it does nothing for those who want to preserve their fertility in the face of financial, housing or career pressures.
“We need the Minister for Health to take this issue seriously and to move beyond warm words. The reality is that the housing crisis and the cost of living are forcing people to delay starting a family, and Government cannot ignore that any longer. We need practical action to examine and introduce a publicly funded fertility preservation option. Government must step up and deliver real supports that reflect the pressures people are living with today.”
Parlimentary Question:
______________________________________________
For Written Answer on : 18/03/2026
Question Number(s): 1769 Question Reference(s): 18878/26
Department: Health
Asked by: Conor Sheehan T.D.
______________________________________________
QUESTION
To ask the Minister for Health if she has undertaken any analysis of the estimated cost of introducing a publicly funded elective egg freezing scheme; the projected annual cost based on likely eligibility criteria and uptake rates; if she will provide a breakdown of costs including medication, clinical procedures, storage and associated IVF treatment for women aged 29 to 38 years of age; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
REPLY
The Model of Care for Fertility was developed by the Department of Health in conjunction with the HSE’s National Women & Infants Health Programme to ensure that fertility-related issues are addressed through the public health system at the lowest level of clinical intervention necessary.
The Model of Care comprises three stages of care. These begin in primary care (GPs), progress to secondary care through the six HSE-run Regional Fertility Hubs located across the country, and, where clinically indicated, advance to tertiary care.
Patients, following consultations in primary care, are referred by their GP to their designated Regional Fertility Hub for assessment and investigation. Before making a referral, the GP will provide appropriate advice and information on lifestyle factors, carry out relevant tests and examinations, and undertake any necessary initial interventions. The GP must also be satisfied that the couple has been trying to conceive naturally for an adequate period of time. The specific access criteria to avail of services provided at a Hub are less stringent than those required to be met in order to qualify for free assisted human reproduction (AHR) treatment.
Under the Model of Care for Fertility, referrals for publicly-funded, privately-provided AHR treatment are subject to patients meeting the access criteria agreed by the Department and the HSE. These access criteria were developed by a multi-disciplinary expert group together with a review of international evidence in the field. These criteria include, for example, restrictions in respect of maternal age, body mass index (BMI), and the number of previous IVF (in-vitro fertilisation) cycles / AHR procedures undertaken. The terms of the publicly-funded AHR treatment initiative are underpinned by the primary policy principle of supporting couples experiencing fertility issues and, most specifically, those who have been trying unsuccessfully to conceive naturally at the particular time in question.
It is important to ensure that patients are clinically determined by a Reproductive Specialist Consultant in a Regional Fertility Hub for IVF, ICSI (intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection) or IUI (intrauterine insemination) before being referred for such treatment, having undertaken at the Hub, as appropriate, extensive consultation, assessment, and various types of procedures and interventions including: relevant blood tests, semen analysis, assessment of tubal patency, hysteroscopy, laparoscopy, fertility-related surgeries, ovulation induction and follicle tracking, which are available at Regional Fertility Hub level. Accordingly, the Hubs have successfully and directly managed thousands of patients presenting with fertility-related issues with the need for invasive interventions such as IVF or ICSI having to be undertaken, which is obviously the desired outcome for all parties.
More information is available on the HSE website in respect of the publicly-funded AHR treatment initiative, including more details on the access criteria and specific services available, at:
https://www2.hse.ie/pregnancy-birth/trying-for-a-baby/your-fertility/getting-ivf-icsi-iui-hse/
Fertility preservation services are currently provided through the public health system in cases where a cancer diagnosis has been made. The HSE provides a publicly-funded, privately-provided fertility preservation care pathway for both men and women whose cancer treatment is likely to affect their fertility. On average, approximately 100 female and 200 male patients avail of this service per annum.
There has been high-level engagement between the HSE and my Department to examine how best to expand comprehensive and sustainable fertility preservation services to potentially include other cohorts of patients whose condition or treatment – whether related to a cancer diagnosis, or otherwise – is very likely to impact on their fertility. The work has included consideration of a report produced by the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) on such publicly-funded services in other countries, and potential interactions with relevant provisions in the AHR legislation.
As set out above, this area is under active review and it is envisaged that next steps can be agreed upon and implemented as soon as practicable. However, there are no plans at this juncture to broaden the examination being undertaken beyond those patients who have a particular medical condition or are undergoing specific treatment which are very likely to impact negatively on their fertility.
Supports available to patients who access AHR treatment privately include tax relief on the costs involved which can be claimed under the tax relief for medical expenses scheme. In addition, a defined list of fertility medicines needed for fertility treatment is covered under the High Tech Arrangements administered by the HSE. Medicines covered by the High Tech Arrangements must be prescribed by a consultant/specialist and authorised for supply to the client’s nominated community pharmacy by the High Tech Hub. The cost of the medicines is then covered, as appropriate, under the client’s eligibility, i.e., the Medical Card or Drugs Payment Scheme.