Patients availing of the new publically funded IVF treatment will now be referred through Regional Fertility hubs from today

Patients wishing to avail of IVF treatment will now be referred through Regional Fertility hubs for publicly-funded treatment.

Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly has announced that from today, eligible patients will be entitled to one full cycle of IVF or ICSI treatment, provided in a Health Service Executive (HSE)-approved private clinic of their choice.

Up to three episodes of IUI will also be made available to certain patients.

Eligible patients can choose to be treated in one of eight HSE-approved clinics, one of which is the Carlow-based SIMS IVF clinic.