Young Fine Gael Women’s Network has welcomed the announcement by Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll MacNeill of a new national Endometriosis Awareness Campaign, which will be delivered across schools and workplaces through the HSE’s MISE programme.
The Network said the initiative represents a significant step forward in addressing the lack of menstrual health education and the widespread under‐diagnosis of endometriosis and PCOS in Ireland.
YFG Women’s Network: “Awareness is the foundation of early diagnosis.”
Speaking following the announcement, Bebhinn Lombard, Munster Regional Organiser and Director of Women’s Engagement, said the campaign has the potential to transform outcomes for young women and girls.
Bebhinn Lombard said:
“For too long, women with endometriosis and PCOS have been dismissed, misdiagnosed, or left waiting in pain. This campaign is not just welcome – it is necessary. Early education empowers young people and particularly young women to recognise symptoms sooner and seek help sooner. It will spare future generations the years of uncertainty and suffering that so many of us have endured.”
“A long and complicated journey to diagnosis” — lived experience at the heart of the call for change
Isabelle Danes, Vice President and Director of Communications, highlighted the importance of awareness in reducing diagnostic delays, drawing on her own experience.
Isabelle Danes said:
“My path to diagnosis was long and complicated. I struggled through school and college without answers – just pain that was minimised or misunderstood. Like many women, I was repeatedly told it was ‘normal’. An awareness campaign like this would have made a real difference. It means young women today may finally be believed earlier, supported earlier, and diagnosed earlier.”
The Network also welcomed the Minister’s confirmation of increased surgical capacity and the creation of 65 new endometriosis related roles for 2026.
However, Young Fine Gael Women’s Network emphasised that awareness must be matched with:
- continued investment in specialist care
- reduced waiting times
- equitable access to treatment nationwide
- support for those currently forced to travel abroad for surgery
The Network said it will continue to advocate for comprehensive women’s health reform andevidence‐based policy that reflects the lived experiences of young women across Ireland.