IVF scheme
More Budget measures are emerging this morning as the Government’s free IVF scheme will be expanded in two areas next years.
Firstly, the scheme will include Donor Assisted IVF. Currently, couples who require a donor egg or sperm are unable to access publicly funded IVF because donor materials are not regulated.
However, with the passing of the Assisted Human Reproduction Act this year and a new regulatory authority being established (the Assisted Human Reproduction Regulatory Authority), couples who need requiring donor assistance will now be able to access the free IVF scheme.
Health Minister Stephen Donnelly is also planning to amend the criteria to include couples experiencing what is known as ‘secondary infertility’. These are couples who have an existing child but then have fertility issues.
One element of the current criteria sets out that a couple accessing publicly funded IVF must have no living children together.
Gabija Gataveckaite
