Men are unable to get vasectomies due to “very patchy access” to the procedure, the Labour Party has claimed. 

A vasectomy is a surgical procedure that cuts or blocks the tubes that carry sperm into a man’s semen. 

It is a method of sterilisation that has a 99% efficacy rate. 

On The Pat Kenny Show, Labour TD Marie Sherlock described it as an “important part of family planning”. 

“The reality is that across the country there is very patchy access to GPs who will provide this service,” she said. 

“It’s a procedure that people recover from after a very short period of time, a few hours, relatively pain free. 

“We ended up putting these questions to the Minister because of both a combination of GPs and men approaching us, relaying to us just how inconsistent that service is across the country.

“The reality is, far too few GPs are offering the service.” 

Condoms. Picture by: Niall Carson/PA Archive/PA Images. Image: 15-04-2009

Deputy Sherlock continued that contraception and family planning should not be a matter only for women. 

“The responsibility very much needs to fall on the man as well,” she said. 

“Particularly, if a couple have completed their family.” 

The Dublin Central TD more training needs to be provided to GPs so they can perform the procedure on patients who request it. 

“There’s only a small number providing this across the country,” she said. 

“There needs to be a much greater effort to ensure that that training is available. 

“That there are incentives there for doctors to take up that training to take up that service. 

“Ultimately, that it is much more easily available to those who want it.” 

Falling number of births

Although the global population continues to grow, the birthrate in Ireland is currently at 1.5 per woman - noticeably below the replacement rate of 2. 

It means that, were it not for immigration, Ireland’s population would be in rapid decline. 

If the Government wants to reverse the trend, Deputy Sherlock feels they need to make life more affordable. 

“The reality is that women and families cannot get access to childcare,” she said. 

“People are living in precarious housing situations that they never dreamt that they would be in that situation coming into their mid or late 30s. 

“People are renting at astronomical rates and can barely afford to pay their rent. How could they afford to bring a child into the world? How could they pay childcare?” 

Overall, she believes it is a “scandalous” situation for the country to find itself in.

Main image: A doctor and a patient. Picture by: Alamy.com.