A Fine Gael TD and Pharmacist says access to the morning-after-pill shouldn’t be restricted by its cost.

The drug is covered under the medical card when dispensed by a GP – however a cost is incurred if you go directly to your chemist.

The latest statistics show that the number of Irish women travelling to England and Wales to obtain an abortion – is consistently dropping – halving almost halved since the start of the millennium.

Deputy Kate O’Connell says for equality sakes – all patients should be treated equally.

“All policy should be to improve society and to improve people’s lives.

“Whatever we can do to give people timely access but also again, a bit like abortion, that it doesn’t become a class issue, where people who don’t have the means end up seven days after unprotected sex in a situation where they could be pregnant and then all that may come from that.”