Women's Health Taskforce

A Women's Health Taskforce was established by the Department of Health to improve women’s health outcomes and experiences of healthcare in September 2019. The Taskforce was established to improve women’s health outcomes and experiences of healthcare, building on recent progress in women’s health, and following a recommendation from the Scoping Inquiry into the Cervical Check Screening Programme that women’s health issues be given more consistent, expert and committed attention.

The Taskforce provided an opportunity to draw existing and new initiatives together into a coherent women’s health programme. The Taskforce is also a forum for advancing departmental commitments under the National Strategy for Women and Girls led by Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth.

The Taskforce has modelled “open policy making” working in a collaborative way, involving policy makers, clinicians, international partners, advocates, health experts and the voices of women through workshops, research and outreach.

The Taskforce has listened to, engaged with and worked with more than 2,000 individuals and organisations representing women across the country.

These inputs have informed the Women's Health Action Plan 2022 – 2023 and Women’s Health Action Plan 2024-2025 Phase 2: An Evolution in Women’s Health.

Membership

The Taskforce is co -chaired by the Director of the European Institute for Women’s Health (EIWH), Peggy Maguire, and Rachel Kenna Chief Nursing Officer in the Department Of Health with more than 30 members from all grades and divisions within the Department of Health.

Membership includes:

• HSE through the National Women and Infants Health Programme (NWIHP)
• DCEDIY as lead department for the National Strategy for Women and Girls
• Irish College of General Practitioners (ICGP)
• Institute of Public Health (IPH)
• Advocacy voice of the National Women’s Council (NWC)
• National Traveller Women's Forum
• Spunout.ie
• Merchant's Quay
• The Deep End
• Independent Living Movement Ireland
• HIQA

Women's Experiences of Healthcare in Ireland Listening Forum 2025:

As part of the Women's Health Action Plan 2024-2025 Phase 2: An Evolution in Women's Health, a new "Patient Voice" listening exercise, to hear from women about their experiences of our healthcare services over recent years, was conducted in April 2025.

The Women's Experiences of Healthcare in Ireland Listening Forum, in partnership with the National Women's Council of Ireland, consisted of two workstreams.

Workstream A, led by the Department of Health, focused on broad engagement with women from various backgrounds.

Workstream B, led by the National Women’s Council of Ireland, was a targeted initiative to capture the experiences of women facing significant structural and health inequalities and who are often categorised as priority groups in national policies. These included migrant women, Traveller and Roma women, disabled women, older women, LGBTQ+ individuals (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer/Questioning), women experiencing homelessness or addiction, and victims and survivors of domestic, sexual, and gender-based violence (DSGBV).

While two distinct reports were developed in relation to these workstreams, a joint report examines the key themes which emerged from each workstream.

The three reports published from “Our Health, Our Voices”: Women’s Experience of Healthcare in Ireland Listening Forum can be found here: Minister for Health publishes reports from Women's Experiences of Healthcare in Ireland Listening Forum

Women’s Health Fund

The Women’s Health Fund was established in Budget 2021 to respond to the needs of women as and when they arise. Department Of Health holdback funding of €5 million was initially allocated in 2021; Increasing to €10 million in 2022, with a further €1.2 million in New Development Funding allocated to the Women’s Health Fund in 2024. The Minister for Health holds final sign-off on projects funded under the Women’s Health Fund.

Webpage Consultation

The Taskforce aims to be open, inclusive and transparent at every stage of its work.

We asked you for your views on how girls' and women's health can be improved. Thanks for sending us more than 500 responses. A summary has been shared with the Taskforce and is provided below:

Women's Health Weekly

Each week the Taskforce will invite a range of experts to present to the Taskforce.

This forum has allowed us to hear evidence, experience and ideas from experts and advocates to help us achieve our goal. The forum has enabled discussion and debate to broaden our perspectives and insight into issues of importance to women’s health. Presenters have shared information and ideas on issues as diverse as endometriosis, women ageing with a disability and addiction services.

If you have research, evidence or perspectives on aspects of women’s health which you would be willing to share please email your name, address, and a short description of your work to womenshealthtaskforce@health.gov.ie

Track the Taskforce

We will keep you updated on developments on our social channels (@RoinnSlainte) and on this webpage.

Follow #womenshealthIRL on all social channels for regular updates by all taskforce members.

Regular reports from the Taskforce will be available below.

Reports

Learn more

EU Manifesto for Women's Health

Keep in touch

• email: Womenshealthtaskforce@health.gov.ie
• social media: #womenshealthIRL