Ireland's healthcare system is a mix of public provision (the HSE) and private fees. If you are an expat or EU citizen moving to Ireland, the system can seem contradictory: a simple visit to a GP will cost you €60, but world-class HIV care and STI testing are entirely free.
🛡️ Public STI Clinics Are Free for Everyone
Unlike general healthcare, sexual health is treated as a public health priority.
You do not need a PPSN, medical card, or private health insurance to access public STI clinics. Clinics like the GMHS (Gay Men's Health Service) and the GUIDE Clinic in Dublin are 100% free of charge. You will not be billed for testing, treatment of STIs, or emergency PEP. They will see tourists, students, and undocumented individuals without charging.
💳 The PPSN and Free PrEP
While the clinic visits are free, getting free PrEP medication dispensed at a pharmacy requires you to be formally registered in the HSE system.
- The PPSN: You need a Personal Public Service Number (PPSN) to interact with the state. You apply for this through the Department of Social Protection (usually when you start a job).
- The DPS Card: To get your PrEP for free at a community pharmacy, the clinic will usually help you apply for the HSE PrEP scheme. The pharmacy will then process it, often using the Drugs Payment Scheme (DPS) or a Medical Card if you have one.
- The Gap: If you have just arrived in Ireland and do not yet have a PPSN, you can still be seen at the clinic and prescribed PrEP, but you may have to pay for the medication out of pocket at the pharmacy until your PPSN is issued. (Generic PrEP typically costs around €50–€80 a month privately).
💶 The EHIC Limit
If you are an EU citizen, your European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) covers emergency care (like an A&E visit for PEP). However, because routine STI care is already free to everyone in Ireland, your EHIC is mostly irrelevant for sexual health clinics. Your EHIC will not allow you to get free PrEP at a pharmacy—that requires entering the HSE PrEP program.
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