Since September 2023 the HSE has funded one full cycle of IVF or ICSI, or up to three IUI episodes, at an HSE-approved private clinic, after a GP referral to one of six Regional Fertility Hubs. As of the HSE page reviewed on 30 June 2025, the woman must be referred before her 41st birthday with a BMI of 18.5 to 30, and couples with one child together have been eligible since 30 June 2025. Donor eggs or sperm, same-sex couples and single people are not covered.
| Item | Ireland | Source and date |
|---|---|---|
| Start | Publicly funded assisted human reproduction (AHR) treatment from September 2023 | Department of Health, July 2023 |
| What is funded | One full cycle of IVF or ICSI, or up to three IUI episodes, at an HSE-approved private clinic; not means tested | Department of Health, September 2024 |
| Referral | GP or consultant refers you to a Regional Fertility Hub (no self-referral); a hub consultant must recommend the treatment, then you choose an approved clinic | Department of Health, July 2023; HSE, June 2025 |
| Age at referral | Both partners at least 18; woman under 41, man under 60 | HSE, June 2025 |
| Woman's BMI | 18.5 to 30 | HSE, June 2025 |
| Existing children | Eligible with no living child, or with one living child together that is the only child either partner has; not with two or more together, or if each partner has a child from a previous relationship (adopted and surrogacy children count) | HSE, June 2025; Department of Health, June 2025 |
| Not eligible | People who cannot use their own eggs or sperm, same-sex couples and single people; donor treatment is private only | HSE, June 2025 |
The one-child rule took effect on 30 June 2025. Close to 2,500 couples had been referred for publicly funded AHR treatment by then (Department of Health, June 2025).
You may still receive other treatment at a hub if the woman is under 43 (BMI 18.5 to 35) and the man under 60. Private treatment is not free, though health insurance may cover some costs. The Health (Assisted Human Reproduction) Act 2024 was signed into law in July 2024, and donor-assisted conception is to be addressed in a supplementary Bill (Department of Health, June 2025).
The woman must be under 41 when she is referred, so the GP visit is the step that counts against the clock. If you are close to 41, do not wait to ask for the referral.
The scheme has already changed once and donor treatment is waiting on new legislation. Confirm the current criteria with your GP, your hub and the HSE before you plan.
Map to the Positive gives a simple cutoff for seeking an evaluation, and it gets shorter with age:
| Your age | Trying before evaluation |
|---|---|
| Under 35 | 12 months |
| 35 to 40 | 6 months |
| 41 to 42 | 3 months |
| 43 and over | Immediate evaluation |
Source: Map to the Positive, Chapter 29.
The book also lists reasons not to wait at all: no periods for 3 months or more, cycles that vary by more than 9 days, two or more consecutive miscarriages, a known diagnosis such as endometriosis or PCOS, previous pelvic surgery or ectopic pregnancy, or a partner with a history of testicular surgery or mumps after puberty.
When to see a specialist is Chapter 29 of Map to the Positive, in Station IV. The same station explains which kind of specialist fits your case, how to choose a doctor, the treatment ladder from ovulation induction to IVF, and what happens in each phase of an IVF cycle.
Take 30 days. If it does not give you more clarity than everything you have read for free so far, ask for a refund and you get every cent back. We cannot promise you a pregnancy. We can promise you will not be guessing.
References: Minister for Health announces full funding for assisted human reproduction treatment from September - Department of Health (gov.ie) (2023-07-25) · Minister for Health marks the first anniversary of publicly funded AHR treatment - Department of Health (gov.ie) (2024-09-25) · Getting IVF, ICSI or IUI through the HSE - HSE (2025-06-30) · Minister for Health announces expansion of eligibility of access criteria for state-funded assisted human reproduction treatments - Department of Health (gov.ie) (2025-06-30)