Ireland's third Women's Health Action Plan pledges an new IVF centre and EU-aligned cancer screening – but no new headline funding
Ireland’s government unveiled a third National Women’s Health Action Plan this week, 8 July, without announcing a new headline funding figure.
2026 priorities are funded through the already-enacted Budget 2026 and the HSE’s National Service Plan, the plan says, while extra money for new 2027 initiatives will depend on that year’s budget process, not yet framed.
The plan also confirms the Women’s Health Fund will continue ring-fencing money in both years, including for a dedicated women’s health research programme, even as it lists costly capital commitments such as a new maternity hospital and the state’s first public IVF centre.
Jennifer Carroll MacNeill, health minister, and Jennifer Murnane O’Connor, minister for public health, wellbeing and the national drugs strategy, launched the 2026-2027 plan at Tallaght University Hospital, visiting its Endometriosis Hub to spotlight progress on a condition affecting one in ten women.
