Mary Mitchell O'Connor (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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781. To ask the Minister for Health if all blood donors are tested before donating blood and if so, the reason men who have sex with men cannot donate once tested and cleared like other blood donors; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18887/14]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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Every blood donation is tested for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), syphilis and human T-lymphotropic virus (HTLV). However, despite improvements in blood screening tests, a small number of infected donations may be missed because of the ‘window period’ between exposure to risk and evidence of infection. For this reason it is most important that people who are in a higher risk group do not donate during the 'window period'.

The Irish Blood Transfusion Service (IBTS) remit is to provide a safe, reliable, robust blood service to the Irish health system. Blood, and the products derived from it, are an integral facet of healthcare delivery. A major objective of the IBTS is to ensure that it always has the necessary programmes and procedures in place to protect both the donors of blood and the recipients of blood and blood products.

The EU Directive on quality and safety of blood requires that "all necessary measures have been taken to safeguard the health of individuals who are recipients of blood and blood components". The permanent deferral of men who have sex with men (MSM) from donating blood is not based on sexuality or orientation but on the fact that there are increased levels of HIV infection among men who have sex with men in Ireland.

Decisions of the IBTS on such matters are based on available evidence. Data available in Ireland from the Health Protection Surveillance Centre, as well as from international sources, is kept under review. The most recent full year data from the Health Protection Surveillance Centre is in respect of 2012 and in that year 341 people were newly diagnosed with HIV in Ireland. The highest proportion of new diagnoses was in MSM (166 cases - approx 49%) and this proportion has been increasing since 2004. Data for the first two quarters of 2013 shows similar rates to 2012. These rates of HIV infection in MSM are disproportionately high, considering that MSM account for a relatively small proportion of the population.

The IBTS keeps its eligibility criteria for donating under regular on-going review, working closely with blood services internationally.