Pádraig Rice (Cork South-Central, Social Democrats)
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118. To ask the Minister for Health the date on which she will publish the new national sexual health strategy; the reason for the continued delay in doing so; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24091/25]

Pádraig Rice (Cork South-Central, Social Democrats)
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It is ten years since the first sexual health strategy was published. That strategy expired three years ago and has still not been replaced. I raised this issue two months ago in the Dáil and was told it would be launched quite soon. Is the strategy still at design stage or has it been submitted to the Government for approval?

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Deputy for his question and congratulate him on his new appointment as Chair of the health committee. I look forward to working with him and the team.

Sexual health is a priority for the Department of Health. The drafting process for the national sexual health strategy commenced in 2023 following a review of the previous strategy. The drafting committee included policy, service delivery and clinical leads working within the Department and the HSE. However, the strategy underwent an additional round of stakeholder consultation and feedback completed in mid-2024. It was decided that the strategy would be launched under the new Government to incorporate priorities from the new programme for Government. The strategy is supported by an action plan that maps out implementation plans for the first three years. It is currently at advanced design stage and will be submitted for departmental and ministerial approval shortly.

Within the remit of the strategy will be support for positive mental health and well-being across the life course of the strategy, testing, diagnosis and treatment of HIV and STIs, prevention of adverse sexual health outcomes, information, education and research. Subject to departmental, ministerial and Government approval, the launch is planned for two weeks' time, Tuesday, 27 May. We have the launch ready, all going well, for this day two weeks. To keep the Deputy updated, service improvements are ongoing in the meantime. An additional €1.35 million has been allocated to free home STI testing, HIV PrEP and the free contraception scheme in 2025. A lot of work has been done through the Department.

Pádraig Rice (Cork South-Central, Social Democrats)
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It is great news that the strategy will be launched. I am looking forward to engaging with it and seeing the detail. When I raised this issue last time, the Minister of State talked about how stigma is a big issue and I agree with her on that. Services are also really important, however, and I think we can reduce stigma by having better services and supports for people. We need to make sexual health services everyday, normal and accessible throughout the country. There are currently ten countries in Ireland with no sexual health services. I am surprised this issue is not raised by Deputies across the Dáil, demanding services in their communities. Many of us need access to better sexual health services and it should be an important issue for people. We can also reduce stigma by having public awareness campaigns and challenging negative stereotypes, similar to mental health. We also need better sexual education. This needs leadership, investment and support because this issue has been neglected for far too long.

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Deputy. I agree with him, and it is important the stigma is not there. Additional funding of €550,000 was allocated through the budget for 2025 to improve access to HIV PrEP, bringing a total allocation for PrEP to €6.45 million this year. An additional €600,000 has been allocated to support wider access to home STI testing, given increasing demand for the services. This brings funding for STI testing to €4.82 million in 2025. More than 126,000 kits were ordered in 2024, with a return rate of 71% and just under 10% of returned kits indicating a reactive result. Work to make some forms of contraception more easily available through the community pharmacies is under way and additional measures to increase capacity for sexual health care will be outlined in the new strategy.

Pádraig Rice (Cork South-Central, Social Democrats)
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We have huge innovations in the area of HIV - on PrEP, PEP and rapid testing - but I think we are not seizing the moment here. We could potentially end HIV transmissions in this country if we massively invested in this. People are waiting far too long to get access to PrEP clinics. There is a real chance here to have a game-changing moment, and I urge the Minister of State to seize that and increase the investment and access to services.

On the online testing, it is fine if people do not have symptoms, but people with symptoms need to go to clinics and need to have clinics in their communities they can access. It is all well and good having access to online tests you can order and do at home, but that does not work for everybody, especially those who have infections. That is why we need those better services in the communities, and we need to spend more money than we are currently.

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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We are putting a lot of funding into health and well-being and sexual health, which is very important. The strategy in two weeks' time will be really positive. We all know that we need to do more. Supports for the prevention of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence and treatment of victims in collaboration with Cuan and the justice sector are part of it too. It also includes further expansion of the free contraception scheme; women's, men's and LGBT health supports; additional measures for sexual health in third level education; funding to support improved access to HIV prep and for people living with HIV; and expanding sexual health services available throughout the primary care system. It is, therefore, a priority for us. I thank the Deputy again for raising this question. As I said, our strategy launch will be this day two weeks.