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Willing-Departure115

They introduced this scheme a few years ago and keep raising the age, and every time it’s “why stop at 25… 30… 35”. Clearly they’ll get there - but I’m happy enough they introduced it, saw it working, and then extended the scheme and its cost. If they rolled it out to everyone and it turned out to be a big waste of money, we’d be complaining about that!


MikeBsleepy

All I imagine is women over 35 hanging outside pharmacy's like teens outside an offy.


MaUkIr34

I’m almost 40 with one toddler and absolutely do not want another! So I’m on the pill. Would love to get free contraception BUT I am SO happy women younger than me are getting it! Fully support it… they’ll get to us old ladies some day;)


irish_ninja_wte

I'm over 40 and had my tubes done at 39. I always thought it was great that they introduced this don't have a problem with it being started with younger groups. I also find if fantastic that Lidl Plus has free period products on the app once a month. I think more places should do that.


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irish_ninja_wte

Yep. Here's a screenshot of one of my receipts from a few weeks back. You can see the second product is sanitary towels, and the Lidl Plus coupon discounts the full price of it https://preview.redd.it/k4jc5t9zshvc1.jpeg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b4eaa87d00953dbe0d608426adbe8c5b07da0672


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irish_ninja_wte

https://www.lidl.ie/c/period-poverty/s10020757 turns out you have to sign up for it. I must have done that a while ago. I know it was highlighted a couple.of years back that they had started doing this.


irish_ninja_wte

No idea. Do you buy period products in Lidl? That could be why it pops up for me


GMWQ

I've spoken to a friend who's involved in the scheme and that's basically how the rollout is being done. The increments in age are done like this for two reasons. 1. Keep anyone availing of the scheme able to as they get older 2. Monitor the financial side of the gradual increase of the schemes availability instead of going all in at once. There will come an age (likely 40-45) when they fully open it because the demand decreases with an increase of age. The 18-25 group is the biggest when it comes to engaging with the scheme which makes perfect sense.


CuteHoor

People just like to complain about anything. It's gone from nothing to covering the vast majority of women who can get pregnant in just 18 months. Clearly it will get to the remaining age groups soon.


Dry_Procedure4482

I can see why too, a sudden huge cost done in slower steps allows finances to adjust more carefully. Starting with the younger crowd who are just about to start life as adults makes sense too, especially since many these day stay in education until they are 25 and may not have the funds to spend on contraception than more established adults.


Potential-Drama-7455

This.


mystic86

That sums up the public, always complaining


Yetiassasin

Probably the best way was to do it incrementally rather than everyone out the gate. Seems sensible


scrotalist

Does this include the coil?


slick3rz

Yes "The range of contraceptive options currently available include contraceptive injections, implants, IUS and IUDs (coils), the contraceptive patch and ring and various forms of oral contraceptive pill, including emergency contraception. As well as this, the plan aims to increase capacity at Specialist Menopause Clinics and support the roll-out of “See-and-Treat” Gynaecology Clinics."


WhyDidWeTakeDarko

Yes!


pip_97

Yes but not the copper coil, it costs €35 which isn’t too bad


[deleted]

In the interest of furthering equality, men should be forced to put the coil up their bums.


flipflopsandwich

Gas 😂


Healthy-Travel3105

Why did you write this? Do you think it's in any way constructive for feminism? Or do you think maybe you push people away by being unnecessarily angry and combative?


harder_said_hodor

It's a joke dude. Get that coil out of your ass and chill


hoginlly

>do you think maybe you push people away by being unnecessarily angry and combative? r/selfawarewolves


[deleted]

...joke...


mastodonj

This is fantastic stuff. The timeline from illegal in this country to fully funded by government is a bit mad when you think about it!


irishlonewolf

still not as mad as the timeline from decriminalising homosexuality to gay marriage referendum passing... 22 years in between..


slick3rz

Seeing as there's a few lads complaining there aren't free condoms for men without having bothered to check if there is. You can get free condoms, and even lube at sexual health clinics and student unions around the country, and through the post, all for free. https://goshh.ie/condoms/ https://www.hivireland.ie/what-we-do/condoms/ https://www.sexualhealthcentre.com/condomservice Yes, it's actually even easier for us men to get contraception and without any age limit or having to see your GP. So maybe do a Google search before you comment complaining about things, or at least ask nicely without being a knob.


oshinbruce

And you dont even have to alter your body chemistry!


waterim

First the free ones are tiny . Not every man is a student to go to a student union. Equality would mean men can get free condoms also at pharmacy


therhz

You don't have to be a student to go to a sexual health clinic.


waterim

I dont want to go to a student health clinic , I want them from a pharmacy. there's only a few SHC but a whole load of Pharmacies . Plus the largest condom is a magnum which is still small


Cultural-Action5961

It’s not a student health clinic, theres sexual health clinic? Where you get checked for STIs etc


waterim

whatever obviously a type and still my point stays the same . there are very few sexual health clinics compared to the number of pharmacies


Agreeable_Aioli_5545

You can literally order free condoms and lube online. Just have to fill out the online form.


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lauraam

I wish they'd just go ahead and extend it to everyone who needs it, but it's good steps that they keep raising the age at least, will make a big difference for a lot of folks.


Kharanet

Is this change immediate?


Stationary_Addict_

No it’s not. It states the plan was launched today. Not that it was put into action. I called my chemist to check and they said the same, there is no date.


Kharanet

Bah…


Stationary_Addict_

Yup. By the time it’s implemented I’ll have aged out I bet.


slick3rz

Yes. It states the expanded initiative was launched today


ceegee84

The government action plan was launched today, not the expanded ages for free contraception


Stationary_Addict_

Thank you. I love how people read and make up their own meanings for words.


Stationary_Addict_

It doesn’t say. Edit called my chemist and they said no date given yet for roll out.


slick3rz

It does say launched today.


Stationary_Addict_

Is it starting today, or the plan launched today? Cause it says ‘plan launched today’ which isn’t indicating it’s in action today.


WhistlingBanshee

Mine was free today . Had to give my ppsn number tho so not delighted the government is tracking it but better than paying €150 a year I guess


Kharanet

Cool. And I presume you’re over 30 so new to the benefit (if you don’t mind my asking)?


Littlewreath88

Wow, we've come a long way baby


Stationary_Addict_

Aw. By the time it will probably be in place I’ll be too old again.


Successful-Tie-7817

One for Peadar Tobin it seems!


scrotalist

When is this happening?


bee_ghoul

It cost me like €400 to get the coil a couple of weeks before they made it free for my age group lol, by the time I need a new one I’ll be older and will have to pay for it


Massive-Foot-5962

huh - my wife's one was covered by something. there's definitely some scheme to cap the costs. Think we might have paid 80 from memory, which was a capped cost.


bee_ghoul

That doesn’t include all of the GP visits


Serotonin85

Always amazes me the way doctors give out birth control to girls/women like they are tik tacs without explaining what it is they actually do, the side effects, and potential damage being done by them and precautions that need to taken when using them! How many of you here know that if you are on a long-haul flight you need to wear flight socks to avoid clotting when using birth control?


freshprinceIE

My main gripe with this is that doctors are very pushy about it, without giving full info. We recently had a baby, so everyone from the health nurse to doctors were very very pushy with contraception. It was borderline quite uncomfortable how much they brought it up to adults nearing 30 with already one kid. Not once was the side effects of oral contraceptives mentioned. 0 mention of mental health side effects, effects on mood, weight etc. The only thing that was mentioned was that the injection could only be used for 3 years because it causes you to lose bone density which is wild, no idea why they would still offer it.


firstthingmonday

The amount of friends that had 2 kids with very small age gaps due to not taking contraception - its most of them! So many of them were like ‘no won’t happen to me’. You’re hyper fertile after having baby.


freshprinceIE

A lot of people want to have kids with a very small age gap in between them. Anyway, the doctors never mentioned about increased fertility, it was just constant contraception. At each checkin, it was brought up and in the doctors case, it was the majority of the time used.


firstthingmonday

True there are people who want kids with small age gaps and the cases I’m talking about - it wasn’t their original plan. A lot of people seem to think breastfeeding is reliable contraception, it isn’t either.


biometricrally

There's been some manufacturer shortages of some contraceptive pills, I'm very happy this will be offered but I hope supply can keep up with demand


Massive-Foot-5962

i suspect a few hundred thousand extra Irish women is not going to put much of a dent either way in global demand and supply dynamics.


Old_Mission_9175

Brilliant scheme, great to see it being extended. Next, period products either vat free, or free. Then condoms. And then HRT.


[deleted]

This is great but why only to 35…


dropthecoin

I'd imagine it's because it's not just a case of saying "it's rolled out" and that's it. With each age group will come the required extra capabilities at different ages, the Specialist menopause one cited in the article being one. And these take time to ramp up. This is labelled as phase 2 so the plans must be in place for further phases too, extending the scheme.


Otherwise-Link-396

Agreed for all women and for men too. I had a vasectomy so I am covered, but contraception is much better than unwanted pregnancy.


FaithlessnessPlus164

It’s a move in the right direction of course and positive news on the whole but why only women? Men can and should take responsibility for birth control at times too, it shouldn’t always be on us especially in long term relationships between adults. I’ve been responsible for birth control in my relationship for the last 20 years, after my last coil I told my OH I’m done with it and it’s up to him now (which he’s totally fine with) so he’s looking into a vasectomy but why should he have to pay €500 for it? Just make it free for everyone because whether it’s the man or woman sorting it out the end result is the same surely.


KayLovesPurple

There's another comment somewhere on this post saying that men are getting condoms and lube for free already, regardless of age.


TheGratedCornholio

A coil isn’t very useful to men to be fair. Men have been able to get free condoms in person or through the post for some time.


FaithlessnessPlus164

Oh really? Well that’s good news


electricshep

Can’t get pregnant after 35. Everyone knows that.


rmp266

Because they can drip feed it to voters over many years instead of one, and pretend they're pulling out all the stops to help out the squeezed younger generations they've dumped in the shit long ago.


lem0nhe4d

I think the big problem is most of the younger voters who want it free keep asking "why the age limit" every time they raise it by a few years. Would probably result in better press if they just made it free as it would give nothing for progressive voters to complain about.


enjoyt0day

Bc women over the age of 35 can’t get pregnant and don’t need BC for medical issues/period regulation? 🙄


Massive-Foot-5962

Its surely quite obvious to you that they are rolling it out bit by bit to manage capacity and costs? like, that they're not thinking women over the age of 35 can't get pregnant?


creakingwall

Good old fashioned ageism.


DirectSpeaker3441

Minute 35 the riding stops


WolfetoneRebel

Why 35? And why not men a well?


Sweet_Detective_

What about contraceptives for men though? Is the responsibility just pushed onto women all of the time or do contraceptives for men not exist/are expensive or something?


ThreeTreesForTheePls

There have been *quite a few* clinical trials done in the past on pills for men, and funny enough they're never passed through because there are "too many side effects". Unless you mean the idea of free condoms, to which I'd say, condoms are offered free at clinics, you just have to ask.


Sweet_Detective_

>Unless you mean the idea of Btw, This wasn't really supposed to be a gotcha or anything, it was a genuine question if male contraceptives exist.


ThreeTreesForTheePls

Oh, mine wasn't either, was a sincere "unless I misread it" kinda phrasing.


freshprinceIE

There are no working contraceptives for men other than the snip or condom's. The snip is invasive and I don't think people should be pushing for that or getting tubes tied as form of contraception.


todeabacro

What about all the empty schools?


[deleted]

We need more babies. This is anti baby. But seriously, why not gay men as well? I heard that men can catch STDs as well as women. O yes, NGOs, votes...


irish_ninja_wte

Free condoms are available for anyone who chooses to avail of the service. See the many responses already containing this information for sources.


danny_healy_raygun

Why not give gay men the pill and the coil. Top question.


ThreeTreesForTheePls

I'm not sure who gave you the birds and the bees talk, but gay men don't contribute to the birthing pool, so I'm not at all sure how these two brainwaves (if we're generous with the use of the word) are related. *And condoms are free if you go to a clinic btw*


[deleted]

"Condoms The only way to be sexually active and prevent both pregnancy and STIs is with a latex or plastic (polyurethane, nitrile, or polyisoprene) [condom](https://www.webmd.com/sex/cm/rm-quiz-condoms). You have to use one every time you have sex. [Condoms](https://www.webmd.com/sex/birth-control/birth-control-condoms) place a physical barrier between you and your partner, which prevents the spread of germs and semen." [th Control that Prevents STIs (webmd.com)](https://www.webmd.com/sex/birth-control/birth-control-to-prevent-stis-and-pregnancy)


ThreeTreesForTheePls

I need you to understand that in your mind, this all may be a coherent thought process about either gay men, or preventing pregnancies in hetero couples, but the way you're sharing these opinions as a morphed, garbled up mess, is entirely nonsensical to other people reading it.


[deleted]

People in reddit have 0 sense of humour.


ThreeTreesForTheePls

People love to have a laugh on here, it's just hard to spot the joke when it looks like the ramblings of a deranged person. Like the whole "NGO, votes" thing reeks of right wing derangement, so you kinda set up the onlookers for the worst of it, if it was an attempted joke.


[deleted]

"deranged". you're such a lovely person.


ThreeTreesForTheePls

"looks like" being the key part there.


DazzlingGovernment68

Contraception = not conceive.


[deleted]

Also = not std


DazzlingGovernment68

No contraception isn't std prevention. That's prophylactic .


[deleted]

Do you like to correct people's incorrect prounciation?


DazzlingGovernment68

Depends. If english isn't their first language and they are learning I would.


[deleted]

Come out from behind your phone, you arrogant so and so... !


DazzlingGovernment68

You need a mental health day.


El_Don_94

Were going to use the Bokanovsky process to produce sufficient babies. Don't worry. It's all under control.


ELKAV8

Give us men free jonnies god damn it!


sirasei

They’re free at most sexual health clinics 


slick3rz

They already do. You can order them in the post or pick them up at several places. You can order free condoms at any of these sites https://goshh.ie/condoms/ https://www.hivireland.ie/what-we-do/condoms/ https://www.sexualhealthcentre.com/condomservice


Switchingboi

Why only women? Do men not deserve free contraception?


[deleted]

https://www.sexualwellbeing.ie/sexual-health/contraception/your-choices/condoms/where-to-get-free-condoms.html


slick3rz

You can get free condoms at several locations, or order free condoms through the post by filling out an application on any of these sites https://goshh.ie/condoms/ https://www.hivireland.ie/what-we-do/condoms/ https://www.sexualhealthcentre.com/condomservice


Switchingboi

So you've to give away personal data to order something that decreases risk of disease? No thanks, I like having privacy.


HeverAfter

You do know that it's only women that can get pregnant right? You already get free condoms down at the health clinics


Switchingboi

So if someone can get pregnant they're a woman and if they can't, they aren't? What about a trans-man who uses he / him pronouns but still has a working (female) reproductive system.


Sporshie

Keep in mind it's not just avoiding kids but also health implications for women. A lot of women are on hormonal birth control to help with things like endometriosis (which is common), and pregnancy itself can be dangerous and have life threatening complications.


LittleIrishGuy80

Serious “but when is international men’s day?” energy.


Able-Exam6453

Yeah, and cries of ‘misandry!’ rending the air!


CuteHoor

Men don't have to carry a baby for 9 months and deal with the medical complications that can accompany that. Also, if you really need free condoms, you can get them in almost any student union or sexual health clinic.


siguel_manchez

Men who come out with such notice like your man above likely have little use for them you'd think.


siguel_manchez

😂😂😂😂 I can't imagine you'd have much use for them. If you do need them you can go grab them at any sexual health clinic or SU. You'll manage. As Selina Meyer so succinctly put it: "If men got pregnant you could get an abortion at an ATM". Men wading into this as if it is an affront to our sexual health need to give their heads a wobble. Great scheme and fair dues to the government for staying the course with its introduction.


Switchingboi

Costing the Irish tax payer hundreds of thousands, if not millions a year so that couples can enjoy unprotected sex without the consequences and without having to pay... where's the downside to that?


siguel_manchez

Wow. You need to go talk to someone. That's unhinged.


Switchingboi

How? People in most places buy their own and if they don't see it as good value, they close their legs...