Free contraception will be available for women aged 17-25 from September. This comes despite a 2019 Working Group on Access to Contraception, under the then Health Minister, Simon Harris, say the proposal would probably be a waste of public funds.

The legislation providing for the free contraception scheme was signed into law last Thursday by President Michael D Higgins.

The measure is scheduled to come into operation by “early September”, the Government said.

Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly said: “Free contraception is a cost-effective measure, reducing both crisis pregnancy and termination of pregnancy rates.

“Given that the costs of prescription contraception are typically faced by women, the scheme will impact positively on gender equity, reducing costs for women, but also benefitting their partners and families, starting with women aged 17-25.”