Almost €20m was allocated in Budget 2025 to provide  Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) products free on prescription from January 1^st. Under the new scheme, which was widely welcomed, women would only have to pay GP and pharmacy dispensing fees, not for the drug itself.

That was the theory, but in practice when women went to their pharmacy expecting free HRT medication they were told they are still liable for the full cost. Many local women contacted Labour TD, Ged Nash about it and today he has called on the incoming government to “sort out the mess” left behind by the outgoing Minister for Health.

Deputy Nash said: “The outgoing government over-promised and under-delivered on the so-called “free” HRT scheme which has turned out to be anything but free and is yet to be rolled out at all.

“A priority for the incoming government must be to sort out the mess left by the outgoing Minister for Health in relation to the much-heralded and so-called free HRT scheme.

“We now know, of course, that the scheme only applies to the cost of the drug itself and does not save those who need the drug the costs of GP visits or dispensing at their local pharmacy.

“That mislabelling of the scheme was bad enough but now local women and women across the country who are going to their local pharmacy with HRT prescriptions and expecting to receive the drug for free are being told that they are still liable for the full cost.”

The Louth Labour TD explained: “That is because the outgoing Minister for Health and the HSE have failed to communicate the terms of the scheme to pharmacies who have not been assured that the government will foot the bill for the drug.

“Several local women wrote to me in recent weeks, complaining that they are still being charged the full cost of their HRT medication.

“On the back of those representations, I tabled a Parliamentary Question to the Minister for Health and I find the response wholly inadequate.”

Deputy Nash said: “There is still no date available from the Minister or the HSE for the much-delayed roll-out of the scheme.

“According to the response from the Minister, the Department of Health “continues to engage and work with the Health Service Executive (HSE) and the Irish Pharmacy Union on the practical implementation” of the scheme.

“It is simply not good enough to sound the trumpets at Budget time with these grand announcements and then fail to follow up with meaningful action that gives effect to what you have announced.”

Deputy Nash concluded: “It’s typical of the outgoing government to be more committed to the PR than to action and I sincerely hope the new government will conduct its business differently.

“Sorting out the mess with this scheme and delivering the free medication that women were promised should be a high priority for the incoming government and new Minister for Health.”