Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein)
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205. To ask the Minister for Health the status of the rollout of the PrEP programme by the HSE; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40594/19]

Catherine Byrne (Dublin South Central, Fine Gael)
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Sexual health is a key priority, both for me and for this Government as a whole, and reducing the number of new HIV diagnoses is a priority focus under the National Sexual Health Strategy. The Health Information and Quality Authority Health Technology Assessment report on PrEP was published in June, which found that the introduction of a PrEP HIV prevention programme would be safe, effective and cost saving.

Considerable work has been done to prepare for the introduction of a PrEP programme shortly, and plans are currently being finalised. An announcement with regard to a prospective start date is imminent. It is intended to roll out an awareness campaign on PrEP, once the programme is ready to commence.