Contraception is now available free of charge to women in the 17 to 30-year age group.
Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly says the expended age group will cover GP consultation and prescription costs for all women, girls and people identifying as transgender or non-binary.
The scheme, which came into effect in September 2022, was only available to women up to 25, then further expanded to include 26-year-olds in January this year.
The morning after pill is now also covered.
Orla O'Connor, Director of the National Women's Council of Ireland, welcomed the news.
"The National Women's Council is really welcoming this announcement. It's really welcome that the Government are really continuing with their commitment in terms of rolling out the availability of free contraception, so now it will be available for all 17-30 year olds.
"All of the contraception, in terms of it now is free, and that's really important. It can be dispensed at a local pharmacy of their choice, for all the contraception items that are there. This consultations are part of what is freely available.
"Also, the scheme includes which I think is important is emergency contraception, which is free of charge under the scheme."
Mr Donnelly, also said a medical card expansion is also coming into effect.
"We're talking today about an expansion of GP cards to half a million men, women and children. We have expanded free contraception, that will include women up to and of the age of 30."
The Irish Family Planning Association (IFPA) also welcomed the extension of the free contraception scheme to 27- to 30-year-olds.
But said the Government must commit funding in Budget 2024 to extend the scheme to younger as well as older age-groups.
Commenting on the extension of the free scheme, Niall Behan, IFPA CEO, said: “We welcome this positive sign that the Minister is committed to a phased expansion of the scheme, beyond the initial age-group.
“The scheme now supports the contraceptive choices of a wider cross-section of people of reproductive age. But younger teenagers and over 30s remain left out.
“We are particularly concerned that the extension of the scheme from today does not include 16-year-olds. A clear commitment was given by government in the Budget 2023 announcement, and funding was allocated to cover this age-group within the scheme.
“The government must allocate the promised budget to expand the scheme to 16 years olds as a matter of priority. The IFPA calls on the government to resolve the potential legal barriers to their access to free contraception and end the exclusion of under 17s from the scheme, before the end of this year."
