Everyone may be experiencing what I will describe for very different reasons. Imagine lying awake at night, tossing and turning and unable to switch off. The room is too warm and suddenly too cold and night sweats come and go. Thoughts are racing, replaying the day just gone and worrying about the day ahead. All the while, one knows one really needs some sleep. For many women going through menopause, this is not the occasional bad night. Rather, it is night after night of broken and disrupted sleep. Life is difficult enough as a woman going through menopause without exhaustion making it worse. There are physical symptoms, emotional strain and an impact on work and family life. Sleep is not a luxury; it is an absolute essential.
I am a firm believer that anything which can safely and effectively support women through menopause should be as accessible as possible. As we know, Ireland has made huge progress in this space. The introduction of free HRT has been transformative for many women and shows what can be achieved when we take women's health really seriously. We can do more.
One simple and practical step is to allow low-dose melatonin to be made available over the counter in pharmacies. Melatonin is widely used to support sleep and in many countries it is also available without prescription at low doses, including France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, Poland, the United States and Canada. In Ireland, however, it remains prescription-only.
It is also a great help to neurodivergent children who have difficulty sleeping or need to be made calm before bedtime. It is no longer available on the medical card. The reality is that many women are already accessing melatonin, just not through our system. They are buying it abroad or asking friends or family to bring it back in their luggage. That tells the real story. It tells us that there is a demand and women and parents are actively seeking solutions to this problem. It raises the question as to why we are not facilitating safe and regulated access to melatonin here at home.
This is not about replacing medical care. Rather, it is about recognising that, at low doses, melatonin is considered safe in many jurisdictions and can provide real relief for those struggling with sleep disruption or deprivation. Pharmacists are highly trained professionals and are well placed to advise on appropriate use. Allowing over-the-counter access would ensure women and some children receive proper guidance, rather than relying on informal routes.
This is just another small change that could have a really meaningful impact on quality of life. Better sleep supports better physical health, mental well-being and day-to-day functioning. It would also bring Ireland into line with many of our European neighbours who already recognise the huge benefits of making low-dose melatonin more accessible. I am hoping that the Minister of State will examine this issue closely, to engage with the Health Products Regulatory Authority, HPRA, to consider a pathway to allow low-dose melatonin to be made available over the counter in Irish pharmacies. As I have said before, if there is a safe, evidence-based way to help women - and, as I mentioned, neurodivergent children and young people - to sleep better during one of the most challenging phases of their lives then we should be doing everything we can to make that support available.