Ms Susan Donlon:

As Mr. Quinlan mentioned, the Man2Man programme is a joint initiative taken by the GHN and the HSE that commenced in December 2011. It was the first programme of its type of in Ireland specifically targeted at MSM and one of the actions recommended in the Department of Health's National AIDS Strategy Committee's HIV and AIDS education and prevention plan for the period 2008 to 2012. The key messages of the programme were strongly linked with the findings of key research, particularly the EMIS study referred to. The programme messages were on promoting HIV prevention, including the promotion of testing and condom use, providing access to free condoms and promoting services such as LGBT telephone helplines. The programme was promoted primarily through social and online media. There was specific targeting of the HSE Dublin North East and Dublin Mid-Leinster regions. The results were quite promising following 12 months of promotion. They showed an 81% increase in the number of website visitors, a 65% increase in the number of calls to LGBT helplines in the ten counties specifically targeted in the Dublin north east and Dublin mid‐Leinster regions, a 1,650% increase in the number of YouTube views on the Man2Man Ireland channel and a 9% increase in the number of attendees at the GMHS-HSE clinic for testing, which included a 25% increase among men living in rural Ireland.

Given these promising results, the HSE and the GHN agreed on the importance of building on these achievements and the investment to promote consistent and sustained HIV and STI prevention messages among MSM in Ireland. The recommendations include continuous development of Man2Man.ie, the only sexual health information and resource website specifically targeting MSM in Ireland; promoting social inclusion and increasing access to information for harder to reach groups living outside urban areas; establishing peer-led volunteer outreach services; and continuing to respond to emerging needs.

While we have worked to secure funding throughout 2013, we have also progressed some of these recommendations, including constantly updating the website. Our partners in Gay Switchboard have launched a new drop-in sexual health information service and a new e-mail support service. The new peer and volunteer outreach service has commenced in Dublin and Cork. The GHN has been actively participating in the gonorrhoea control group co‐ordinated by the public health department of HSE East in responding to the increase in the number of gonorrhoea infections among MSM. In partnership with GMHS, we also published a new research report arising from the EMIS data.

Other programmes strongly associated with the Man2Man programme are under development. The BeLonGTo youth service is developing a personal development course for younger MSM aged 18 to 24 years, while Gay Switchboard Dublin will deliver a course for MSM aged 25 years and over. GHN is the only network of its kind in Ireland that has a specific focus on HIV prevention for MSM. It is a partnership of a range of organisations and individuals, including men living with HIV. Organisations involved in the GHN are primarily those involved in front-line services, including the Gay Switchboard Dublin, the BeLonGTo youth service, Dublin AIDS Alliance, GMHS, Rainbow Support Services at the Red Ribbon Project, Open Heart House, Outhouse LGBT Community Centre and Positive Now. These are just some of the partners involved. We all know partnership is a very cost-effective approach. This is very true for the GHN as there are no salary costs involved. Members give of their time on a voluntary basis or on behalf of the organisations with which they work, which reduces costs significantly and there are no overheads involved.

While funding resources are vital for the sustainability of programmes - there is a requirement to have a consistent HSE prevention message - partnerships must be sustained. It is important that the Government and other key stakeholders recognise and consider that reductions in funding and other resources for individual organisations involved in front-line services impact on their ability to engage actively in partnerships such as the GHN. These partnerships are vital to sustaining a consistent HIV prevention message targeted at MSM nationally, for the implementation of further programmes and activities and if we are to truly challenge and combat HIV-related stigma and discrimination.