A leading Fine Gael Senator has issued a call to the government to provide much needed funding for IVF treatment.
The call comes from Catherine Noone who pointed out that Ireland is one of just three countries in the EU where fertility treatments are not State-funded. Ms Noone believes that the treatment should be provided by the public health system because couples who are desperately trying to start a family are being forced to spend in the region of €4,000 – €6,000 per cycle for treatment. Ms Noone has urged the government to review the issue as it currently stands IVF treatment is the only medical condition not covered by the system.
Ms Noone told the Dáil: “It is clearly a huge cost to couples who suffer from infertility,” Senator Noone. “Infertility is recognised by the World Health Organisation as a disease and yet it is not covered. She added: “It is the only medical condition that isn’t covered under our public health system and plastic surgery in some circumstances is covered.”