It is hugely welcome that a deal to roll out free HRT has finally been agreed – but the Minister must reimburse women who have spent hundreds of euro on HRT already this year, according to Social Democrats TD Pádraig Rice
Deputy Rice, who’s the party’s health spokesperson, said:
“A firm commitment was given, by Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, that free HRT would be rolled out for women from January this year. That commitment was breached.
“Instead, the Health Minister has been unable to get an agreement, with the Irish Pharmacy Union, over the line until today.
“While I welcome the fact that this deal has belatedly been reached, women who rely on HRT have already spent, on average, hundreds of euro on this vital medication this year.
“If government promises are to mean anything, then this money should be reimbursed to all of those women.
“More generally, this entire debacle of the government rushing out announcements without doing any work and then failing at implementation cannot continue.
“The commitment to provide free HRT should never have been made if a deal was not in place to make this a reality.
“This entire episode has all of the hallmarks of a cynical election stunt, made in the interests of electioneering and not women. Women’s healthcare deserves more.”