Notice of the making of this Statutory Instrument was published in

“Iris Oifigiúil” of 12th December, 2023.

I, STEPHEN DONNELLY, Minister for Health, in exercise of the powers conferred on me by section 6 7E(5) of the Health Act 1970 (No. 1 of 1970) (inserted by section 6 of the Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) (No. 2) Act 2022 (No. 20 of 2022)), after consultation with the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform (as adapted by the Public Expenditure and Reform (Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister) Order 2023 ( S.I. No. 19 of 2023 )), hereby make the following regulations:

1. (1) These Regulations may be cited as the Health Act 1970 (Section 67E) (Prescription of further age to whom contraceptive services will be made available without charge) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2023.

(2) The collective citation “the Health Act 1970 (Section 67E) (Prescription of further age to whom contraceptive services will be made available without charge) Regulations 2022 to 2023” includes these Regulations.

2. These Regulations shall come into operation on 1 January 2024.

3. In these Regulations, “Principal Regulations” means the Health Act 1970 (Section 67E) (Prescription of further age to whom contraceptive services will be made available without charge) Regulations 2022 ( S.I. No. 675 of 2022 ).

4. Regulation 2 of the Principal Regulations is amended:

(a) by substituting “age ranges” for “age range”, and

(b) by substituting “are” for “is”.

5. The Schedule to the Principal Regulations (as amended by Regulation 4 of the Health Act 1970 (Section 67E) (Prescription of further age to whom contraceptive services will be made available without charge) (Amendment) Regulations 2023) is amended:

(a) in paragraph (1), by substituting “31” for “31.”, and

(b) by inserting after paragraph (1) the following paragraph:

“(2) Attained the age of 31 but not yet attained the age of 32”.

GIVEN under my Official Seal,

7 December, 2023.

STEPHEN DONNELLY,

Minister for Health.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Instrument and does not purport to be a legal interpretation.)

These Regulations are made under the Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) (No.2) Act 2022.

These Regulations amend the Health Act 1970 (Section 67E) (Prescription of further age to whom contraceptive services will be made available without charge) Regulations 2022.

These Regulations provide for the extension of the free contraception scheme to women up to and including those aged 31.

The Health Act 1970 (Section 67E) (Prescription of further age to whom contraceptive services will be made available without charge) Regulations 2022 ( S.I. No. 675 of 2022 ), the Health Act 1970 (Section 67E) (Prescription of further age to whom contraceptive services will be made available without charge) (Amendment) Regulations 2023 ( S.I. No. 408 of 2023 ) and these Regulations may be cited together as the Health Act 1970 (Section 67E) (Prescription of further age to whom contraceptive services will be made available without charge) Regulations 2022 to 2023.