A Tipperary TD hopes publicly funded IVF will help couples struggling with fertility issues.
Local Fianna Fáil TD, Jackie Cahill, has welcomed the announcement from his party colleague and Minister for Health, Stephen Donnelly, detailing the access criteria and services that will be available from September.
Eligible patients will be entitled to one full cycle of IVF or ICSI treatment, initially provided in HSE-approved private clinics of their choice ahead of the opening next year of the first public National Advanced Centre.
Deputy Cahill says he is proud to be part of the Government that has gotten this over the line after years of promises.
He told Tipp FM that this will remove some of the financial barriers.
“They must be in a relationship for at least one year, have no children from this relationship. It will cater for women up to the age of 40 and men up to the age of 59 years of age. We acknowledge that people who are desperate to have a child are the most vulnerable and hugely open to exploitation. They are facing mental, physical and relationship challenges and on top of it there were huge financial barriers there.”
To be eligible for publicly funded treatment, couples must be resident in Ireland and referred to a Regional Fertility Hub through their GP. They must be in a relationship for at least one year, have no children from this relationship. Patients with known clinical causes of infertility and patients where there is no known clinical cause will be eligible for treatment. Women up to the age of 40 and men up to the age of 59 will be considered eligible.
Eligible patients will be entitled to one full cycle of IVF (in-vitro fertilisation) or ICSI (Intracytoplasmic sperm injection) treatment, initially provided in HSE-approved private clinics of their choice ahead of the opening next year of the first public National Advanced AHR (Assisted Human Reproduction) Centre.
