Mr. Tiernan Brady:

It varies greatly depending on the culture from which they come. Ireland is a great success story. In 21 years we have moved from decriminalisation to being on the verge of a referendum on equal status in the Constitution for couples in terms of marriage. That is not mirrored everywhere in the world. Many people who come from other parts of the world come from places where there is the death sentence, life imprisonment and social ostracisation. Their experience and the barriers they face in engaging with sexual health are increased because of their cultural background. Each area is different and one size does not fit all.

It comes back to the point that while there is a need for a national awareness response, groups have to be targeted and the messages tailored because they face different barriers. We need to make sure we are addressing those barriers with each intervention and are getting to the people we need to reach. On CD4 counts, gay and bisexual men are much more likely to be diagnosed early because they have higher rates of engagement on sexual health.