Time to deliver for women with endometriosis says Sherlock

Following a Dáil debate on women’s health this week, Labour’s Health Spokesperson Marie Sherlock TD has renewed calls for urgent action on endometriosis, criticising the Government’s repeated delays in delivering the promised National Endometriosis Framework and failure to properly staff specialist services.

Deputy Sherlock said:

“This week’s debate laid bare the truth: women with endometriosis have been ignored, dismissed, and gaslit in our health system for decades. We are constantly told that kind of neglect belongs to the Ireland of the past. But for too many women, that is still the reality today.

“Yes, we welcome the creation of specialist hubs—but how can they provide proper care when they are not properly staffed? Government actions have been patchy and inconsistent. Women are still waiting. There’s no urgency.

“The Minister admitted in the debate that the National Endometriosis Framework is still being discussed between the HSE and the Irish Medical Organisation. But how long will this be dragged out? How many more women have to suffer while departments pass the file back and forth?

“We’ve heard excuse after excuse. We were told posts have been funded, but the truth is clear—only half of those have been filled. In some areas, no staff have been appointed at all. That’s a disgrace.

“In Cork, a supra-regional centre, just 3 of 12.6 funded posts are in place. In Limerick, only 2 of 5. And shockingly, in the National Maternity Hospital in Dublin, none of the five funded roles have been filled—not a single one.

“The Endometriosis Association of Ireland has warned that the HSE’s staff budgets fall far short of what’s needed. Women living in pain don’t need more words—they need proper care, fully resourced teams, and joined-up services. That requires funding and follow-through, not more stalling.”

Labour is calling for immediate publication of the National Endometriosis Framework and for the Minister for Health to present a clear plan on when and how all endometriosis hubs will be fully staffed.

“If the Government is serious about women’s health, it’s time to show it. Women with endometriosis are still being left behind. Enough is enough. We need delivery, not delays.”