The Health Minister wants to expand free contraception to include 16 year-olds.
It's currently free for women aged 17 to 35 but Stephen Donnelly wants to lower this as part of the upcoming budget.
However it's being described as a legally complex move. There's resistance from the Department of Health given the legal age of consent is 17.
The Fianna Fáil Minister is said to pushing back, arguing the age of medical independence is 16 and girls can also access abortions at the same age.
