Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy Buttimer for raising this Topical Issue. The HPSC collects data on new HIV and AIDS diagnoses. Data for 2012 showed that the total number of HIV infections reported in all years up to 2012 had risen to 6,629. While the annual numbers of newly diagnosed HIV infections had been decreasing since 2008, there was a slight increase in the overall numbers of new HIV diagnoses in 2012, amounting to 7%, as the Deputy stated.

Of the new diagnoses, there were 166 among gay men, the highest number ever recorded in that risk group. This is the predominant mode of transmission of HIV in Ireland.

While some aspects of the prevention agenda have proven successful in the past and have reached large proportions of the population, the statistics continue to show that increasingly people are either not hearing or are choosing to disregard the messages, and are engaging in risky behaviours. We need to deliver targeted prevention programmes in order to address this situation through partnership between non-governmental organisations, NGOs, and the statutory services.

The ongoing high incidence among the MSM group, specifically among the younger MSMs, is a particular cause for concern especially since the MSM group had responded well to awareness and prevention campaigns in the past. Clearly, not only must the messages reach the target audience, but they must make an impact when they do. We must do this in a cost-effective manner that delivers the biggest impact for investment.

The Gay Health Network, GHN, and the HSE ran an awareness campaign specifically focused for men who have sex with men, or MSM. This campaign, Man2Man.ie, was promoted over a 12-month period, from December 2011 to December 2012, and comprised four phases, with key messages developed by a peer youth group facilitated by BeLonG To Youth Services. It is therefore very timely and relevant that tomorrow the HSE and the Gay Health Network will launch the results of the joint national HIV prevention and sexual health awareness programme for men who have sex with men. Subject to resources, it is hoped to extend this awareness campaign. The 11th annual Gay Health Forum programme targets younger MSMs and aims to raise awareness, build self-esteem and equip men to be able to make safer sex choices.

In the area of responsible sexual behaviour, the ongoing stigma attached to HIV and other sexually transmitted infections, STIs, is undoubtedly one of the underlying reasons for the ongoing high incidence level of new cases of HIV and other STIs. On the wider issue of sexual health, the Department of Health has established a high level steering group to oversee the drafting of a national sexual health strategy. It will focus on improving sexual health and well-being and will address the surveillance, testing, treatment and prevention of HIV and STIs, crisis pregnancy, and sexual health education and promotion. Moreover, the strategy will be in line with the framework for health and well-being, which provides a policy framework that addresses the wider determinants of health and health inequalities.

See this speech in context