TÁNAISTE SIMON HARRIS has appealed to pharmacists, the HSE and the Department of Health to have a “bit of give and take” to get the rollout of the free HRT scheme over the line. 

Independent Ireland leader Michael Collins raised the issue in the Dáil today during Leaders’ Questions and asked the Tánaiste if he could provide a clear timeline for the delivery of the scheme that was announced by the government in last year’s Budget.

The scheme was set to begin in January, but four months later, pharmacies and the State remain in a deadlock over providing free HRT.

Pharmacists say they weren’t consulted on it and that women will still have to pay some money towards the treatment.

“This scheme was supposed to make life easier for women, but as we know, it is not as straightforward as we were led to believe. For women, the choice between paying essential bills such as the ESB bill or covering the ever-increasing cost of food takes precedence over their own health needs. This should not be the case,” Collins said. 

In response, Tánaiste Simon Harris said Collins is correct and there is “understandable frustration” in relation to this issue.

Cork South-West TD Michael Collins pictured today.

He said he spoke to Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll MacNeill about this issue yesterday.

“I know she’s had a number of direct meetings herself with pharmacists, with their representative body to try and get this matter over the line. And in addition to that, the department and the HSE has also engaged extensively with the Irish Pharmacy Union in relation to the practical rollout of the measure,” the Tánaiste said.

He appealed to the representative bodies, the HSE and the Department to “all have a bit of give and take here” to get the scheme over the line. 

Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) is a vital treatment for many women navigating perimenopause and menopause.

The delay to the rollout of the scheme has left thousands of women feeling frustrated and forgotten, as people recently told The Journal.