Minister for Health Publishes Reports on Women’s Experiences of Healthcare in Ireland

Listening Forum findings highlight major progress in women’s health services and identify remaining challenges around access, respect, and equity of care.

Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll MacNeill TD has published a collection of reports from the Women’s Experiences of Healthcare in Ireland Listening Forum, commissioned by the Women’s Health Taskforce to strengthen women’s healthcare services and ensure the patient voice continues to guide reform.

Conducted in partnership with the National Women’s Council (NWC), the Listening Forum brought together 142 women from across Ireland through structured engagement sessions. The work was divided into two complementary streams:

• Workstream A, led by the Department of Health, gathered perspectives from the general population, while

• Workstream B, led by the NWC, focused on priority groups facing structural barriers — including migrant, Traveller and Roma women, disabled women, older women, LGBTQ+ individuals, and those experiencing homelessness, addiction, or domestic and gender-based violence.

Transformational progress

The reports highlight tangible progress driven by an €180 million investment in women’s health since 2020. This has supported the development of:

• A growing network of specialist menopause and endometriosis clinics,

• Fertility hubs and state-funded AHR services,

• Postnatal hubs and see-and-treat gynaecology clinics, and

• The Free Contraception Scheme for women aged 17–35.

Women also praised the efficiency and professionalism of BreastCheck, CervicalCheck, and BowelScreen, as well as positive experiences in maternity and general practice care.

Persistent gaps

Despite these gains, participants identified areas still requiring improvement:

• Difficulties accessing healthcare and maternity services,

• Limited or unclear information about entitlements,

• Instances of feeling dismissed or not listened to, and

• Experiences of patriarchal attitudes within care settings.

Both the general and targeted groups noted that the persistence of a two-tier health system continues to shape women’s experiences and outcomes.

Ministerial response

Commenting on the publication, Minister Carroll MacNeill said:

“These reports amplify the voices of women across Ireland and shine a light on both the strengths and challenges within our healthcare service.
Awareness and training among healthcare professionals have improved, and it is heartening to see this reflected in the findings. However, we must continue to ensure that all women — regardless of age, location or ethnicity — receive care that is timely, respectful, and delivered with dignity.”

She added that the Women’s Health Fund will continue to support initiatives that improve access and engagement among marginalised communities, aligning with Budget 2026 priorities for targeted investment across all six HSE health regions.

“Every cent invested must achieve the best health outcomes,” she said. “Collaboration with the National Women’s Council ensures we’re listening, learning, and shaping a more equitable health service for women across every stage of life.”

Continuing the Action Plan

The reports form part of a priority project under the Women’s Health Action Plan 2024–2025 (Phase 2: An Evolution in Women’s Health), fulfilling Action 1E — the commitment to hold a structured patient-voice forum to capture real-world experiences and access challenges.

The insights will inform next-phase policy development within the Department of Health, the Women’s Health Taskforce, and the HSE’s regional health structures.