Pharmacists are telling the government they want to operate a free contraception service in chemists.
It would mean women wouldn't need to see a GP for a prescription for the pill, the patch or the ring.
If given permission to roll out the service, all women could access it in a similar way to seeing their pharmacist for the flu jab.
President of the Irish Pharmacy Union Daragh Connolly says it might stop patients turning to the Internet: 'We're starting to see more and more online consultations and patients are coming to us and check their blood pressure and BMI so they we can dispense what they've been prescribed'.
