Free Contraception Scheme

National Free Contraception Care

Women and people with a uterus aged 17 to 35 can get contraception for free. You do not need a medical card to access this service. 

Make an appointment with your GP to discuss your options for contraception. If you are aged 17-35, you do not have to pay for your GP visit or any prescriptions you get.

To access free contraception service, you need to be:

A woman or person with a uterus

Aged 17 to 35

Living in Ireland

You not need a medical card to use this service

At your appointment, you will need to provide your:

PPS number

Name

Date of birth

Address

What is included in the free contraception scheme?

  • Any GP appointments about your contraception options

  • Contraception prescriptions from your doctor (at participating pharmacies)

  • Emergency contraception (the morning-after-pill)

  • Fitting, removal and check-ups of long-acting reversible contraception (LARCs)

  • Other types of contraception such as contraceptive injections, implants, IUS and IUDs (coils), the contraceptive patch and contraceptive ring

  • Prescriptions for combined oral contraception (the daily pill)

Types of contraception covered?

There are many types of contraception covered by this service. You may need to experiment to find what works best for you. Emergency contraception is also covered. You can choose from a range of contraception listed below. These include short-acting contraceptives and long-acting reversible contraceptives (LARCs). 

Short-acting contraceptives

Short-acting contraceptives are types of contraception that depend on you remembering to take or use them regularly or each time you have sex. These include the:​

LARCs

Long-acting reversible contraceptives (LARCs) are types of contraception that you do not have to remember to take everyday. These include the:

  •     intrauterine device or IUD and intrauterine system or IUS (these are also known as coils)

  •       IUB Ballerine Coil (copper coil)

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