National infertility charity calls for immediate engagement on public funding for IVF

The National Infertility Support and Information Group (NISIG) has called on the Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly and Department of Health to get the process of meeting with stakeholders and providers of fertility treatment underway immediately.  

The very welcome announcement in the Budget that public funding for IVF treatment will be introduced in Ireland in September 2023 is historic but there are a lot of unanswered questions around this announcement that need to be worked on as an absolute priority.

Chairperson of NISIG Caitríona Fitzpatrick said:

"Many people who are currently undergoing treatment or saving hard for fertility treatment, which is hugely costly, will have heard this news and are now very anxious to know what it means for them.

"Minister Donnelly said yesterday that there would be collaboration with the industry and stakeholders around this announcement, and this must begin immediately.

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"There are no public services around IVF treatment therefore we need to tease our how the proposed funding will work, who will be able to available for it and a significant number of other related issues. We want nothing less than fully publicly funded IVF treatment available to all those who need it delivered in September 2023.

"In order for that to happen we call on the Minister to get this process underway immediately. We are ready to work with the Department and HSE in helping make this funding announcement a reality for everyone who needs it and give people who are going through this difficult process certainty."

NISIG has also called on the Government to, through the HSE, roll out a fertility awareness campaign which is done in many other countries and would be an essential part of bringing forward public treatment for fertility issues in 2023.

In December 2021 Fertility Europe, in conjunction with the European Parliamentary Forum for Sexual and Reproductive rights, developed the 'European Atlas of Fertility Treatment Policies'.

Ireland was rated as ‘exceptionally poor’ coming out no 40 out of 43 countries with just Albania and Armenia behind us. 'This is clearly unacceptable, this week’s announcement is significant in moving Ireland from the bottom of the class to more in line with our European colleagues.

We need a public health system that works for those who experience issues with fertility in Ireland, and in 2023 we are taking the first and very welcome step on that road’ concluded Ms Fitzpatrick.