Sir, – I write in response to the article by Bláthnaid Corless on the obstacles Irish women still face in accessing contraception ("Stigma may be gone but Irish women still face obstacles in accessing contraception", Opinion & Analysis, January 21st).
In the article, Ms Corless states that the flagship Leeson Street branch of the Dublin Well Woman Centre was “forced to shut its doors in 1998, due to significant financial losses”.
This is not the case.
Our clinic simply relocated to Pembroke Road, from where we continue to operate to this day (along with our other women’s health clinics on Liffey Street and in Coolock).
We are proud of our record in providing contraception to women since 1978, and in continuing to move the debate on women’s reproductive healthcare.
As ongoing proof of this, I draw to your attention the fact that in 2020 we published the most comprehensive national research done since 2010, The Contraception Conversation, which points to the number of barriers still faced by women in accessing their preferred form of contraception, and calls on the Government to move quickly to introduce free contraception for all women. – Yours, etc,
ALISON BEGAS,
Chief Executive,
Dublin Well Woman Centre,
Head Office,
Capel Street,
Dublin 1.