The Government has launched the Third National Women's Health Action Plan (2026–2027) today, and for any woman who has ever sat in a GP waiting room feeling like her symptoms weren't quite being taken seriously, this one is worth paying attention to.
Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll MacNeill TD unveiled the new plan this morning at Tallaght University Hospital, alongside a visit to the hospital's Endometriosis Hub. The plan sets out the next phase of work to improve access, outcomes and experiences for women across the Irish health system — building on real, measurable progress made since the first Action Plan was launched back in 2020.
Since that first plan, over €180 million of additional funding has been invested in women's health services. That money has gone towards things many of us have needed for years: menopause clinics, postnatal hubs, ambulatory gynaecology services, free contraception, free HRT and expanded endometriosis services. For a lot of women, that shift has already been genuinely life-changing.
What's in the new plan?
The third plan builds on all of that. Some of the key measures include the development of a Women's Health Programme in General Practice, which aims to make GP care more responsive to women's specific needs across every stage of life. There's also a focus on earlier detection of cardiovascular disease in younger women — something that's historically been under-recognised and under-researched.
The expansion of specialist multidisciplinary eating disorder teams is included, as is the development of dedicated mental health supports for women living with endometriosis. Anyone who has watched a friend or family member struggle with that condition knows that the emotional and psychological toll is just as real as the physical pain, so this feels like an important step.
The plan also commits to increasing the number of postnatal hubs around the country — a genuinely welcome move for any mum who found the post-birth period a bit of a cliff edge in terms of support. And the free period products scheme is being expanded to additional locations, which matters enormously for younger women, students and anyone facing financial pressure.
Endometriosis gets a sharper focus
Minister Carroll MacNeill was particularly vocal about the endometriosis provisions in the plan, and it's easy to see why. It affects roughly one in ten women, takes an average of years to diagnose, and has for too long been dismissed as "bad periods." The new plan commits to increased awareness and understanding of the condition, alongside continued expansion of specialist services.
"The development of specialist endometriosis services represents a fundamental shift towards earlier diagnosis, more coordinated care and better access to expert treatment," Minister Carroll MacNeill said at today's launch. "Through continued investment, stronger clinical pathways and by listening to the experiences of women themselves, we are building a health service that better recognises, understands and responds to women's health needs."
Minister for Public Health Jennifer Murnane O'Connor TD also welcomed the plan, with a particular focus on provisions for women who are often overlooked by mainstream health policy. "I am particularly pleased to see actions to address period poverty, raise awareness of breastfeeding and provide supports to improve breastfeeding rates, support women who use drugs through gender-sensitive services, enhance healthcare for women in prison and improve supports for marginalised women," she said. "This is about ensuring that every woman can access the care and support she needs."
Mental health, perinatal care and beyond
Minister for Mental Health Mary Butler TD highlighted the plan's strong focus on women's mental health, including the further development of specialist perinatal mental health services, which are already available across all 19 maternity hospitals in Ireland. The plan also includes progress on establishing a dedicated Perinatal Mother and Baby Unit — something that will make a real difference for mothers experiencing serious mental health difficulties in the period around birth.
The plan also introduces a Gender-Sensitive Toolkit to make mental health services more responsive to women's needs and continues to embed trauma-informed approaches across services. As Minister Butler put it, the aim is to ensure "women can access the supports and services they need at every stage of life."
Killian McGrane, Director of the HSE's National Women and Infants Health Programme, called the publication "further evidence of the Minister's ongoing commitment to women's health," adding that successive Action Plans have "laid solid foundations for changing how women's health is understood and provided."
The full text of the Third National Women's Health Action Plan (2026–2027) is available to read on the Department of Health website.
It's been a long road to get women's health the sustained political attention it deserves in Ireland. Plans like this don't fix everything overnight — but the direction of travel, and the scale of investment behind it, suggests this time the commitment is real.
