PUBLICLY FUNDED access to IVF treatment is to be rolled out from next September while representatives in Clare have shared their concern with the lack of regulation for private clinics in the area.
Funding announced in Budget 2023 is set to give up to 3,000 couples ability to access publicly funded IVF treatment. The full outline of the scheme, including whether it would be means-tested and how many rounds of fertility treatment a person could avail of, have yet to be worked out.
Minister for Health, Stephen Donnelly (FF) is hopeful of clarifying full details of the scheme prior to its roll out next September. He said €10m was allocated in the Budget towards publicly funded IVF treatment, but it will take a number of years to “fully build up” the system to a State-funded model.
Currently around 9,000 couples avail of IVF treatment from private clinics across the country. With one IVF cycle costing around €5,000, it is estimated that the cost to the Exchequer of funding treatment for all couples who wish to avail of it would be around €45 million a year. This rises to €180 million a year if all couples were entitled to four State-funded IVF cycles.
Prior to the Budget, Cllr Ann Norton (IND) led the call in Clare for the Minister for Health to be contacted asking him to give consideration to free IVF treatment or for it to be heavily subsidised or provided by the HSE.
She said, “IVF is a huge part of society today. It is a very costly procedure, there is a lot of women out there that need to go through IVF unfortunately, costing from €5,500 to €7,500 and possibly more”. Cllr Norton outlined that there is a “huge amount of stress” on couples prior to and during the treatment, “sometimes it doesn’t work the first time. We look at how things have changed, women with careers look to later in life to have a family and then they realise they may not be able to conceive. Couples are no longer just male and female, there are a number of ways in which they are together”.
Figures were cited by Cllr Mary Howard (FG) where one in couples have reported difficulties when trying to conceive. Up to €10,000 has been spent by couples on the “expensive treatment”. The Ennis representative shared her concern regarding “super commercial” private clinics and the lack of regulation in the sphere, “it’s a big cash business”.
“Significant emotional and physical stress” has been experienced by families trying to conceive through IVF treatment, Cllr Donna McGettigan (SF) noted.
Lack of oversight from the Department of Health to private clinics providing IVF treatment was also highlighted by Cllr Gerry Flynn (IND). “There seems to be no support for the Minister for Health in monitoring all the various private clinics which can have a huge economic impact on families at a time of huge stress”.
“It’s an issue that creates huge anxiety and stress within the lives of couples. It needs a certain amount of financial support for those trying to have a family,” Cllr Joe Killeen (FF) maintained.
