Press Releases
O'Malley renews call for emergency contraceptives to be made available without prescription
Progressive Democrats TD Fiona O'Malley has today repeated her call for emergency contraception to be made available across the counter without prescription – as is the case in other European countries.
Deputy O'Malley was responding to reports that the Dublin Well Woman Centre is having to open on Sundays to accommodate women wanting to take the morning after pill.
'For a variety of reasons women have difficulty in accessing GP services at the weekend and this is exactly the time that demand for the morning after pill increases. Emergency contraception should be made available across the counter without prescription in this country.
'One in three pregnancies in Ireland are described as 'crisis' and poor access to and availability of contraceptives is one of the underlying factors.'
'As the recent survey conducted by the Crisis Pregnancy Agency discovered, young Irish people are more likely to engage in risky sexual behaviour and have a poor understanding of fertility. While we need to greatly improve education and awareness levels, we also need to increase the availability of contraceptives, and in particular the morning after pill.'
'Many young women, particularly in rural Ireland are too embarrassed to approach their local GP for the morning after pill, or may be unable to pay the consultation fee. Over the counter availability would solve these difficulties, and reduce the number of unwanted pregnancies in this country.'
Deputy O'Malley is a member of the Oireachtas Committee on Health & Children and a member of the Dáil All-Party Group concerned with issues of sexual and reproductive health.
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