Jerry Buttimer (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

It is important that we not only develop a high level steering group, but that we have a national sexual health strategy which targets young men in the age group I mentioned. I should put on record that the Gay Men's Health clinic and Gay Health Network, along with GLEN do powerful work in communicating and working with young men.

What cannot be lost in the bureaucratic maze of the Department of Health and the HSE is the fact that there must be outreach between the NGOs, and a joined up kind of thinking. The largest ever level of increase of HIV cases has just happened. There are many reasons for that but one is the complacency that may exist for some young men who feel they are immune from transmission of disease. We must eradicate that mindset and reach out to people

I welcome the Minister of State's reply. It is about communicating and creating a strategy that has a joined up approach. It is about education and not just about having that high level steering group to report back. We must see the implementation of that strategy which will pay dividends in the long run. It is important that the wider population be aware there is no cure for AIDS or HIV. Some of the drugs and combination therapies will prolong life and ultimately we hope the level of investment will bring about a cure. It is important that we do not become complacent and that we take note of these figures. The figures are people, not just a statistic and a report, but people whose lives are affected as a consequence of the transmission of this disease. It is important that we acknowledge this is an illness that has repercussions on the quality of life for people.

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