Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
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357. To ask the Minister for Health the status of the publication of a follow-up strategy to the National Sexual Health Strategy 2015-2020; the reason that a current strategy is not in place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27048/22]

Frank Feighan (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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The National Sexual Health Strategy, 2015-2020, (NSHS) was launched in October 2015. It takes a life course approach, acknowledging the importance of developing a healthy attitude to sexuality in young people and of building on that foundation for positive sexual health and wellbeing into adulthood and older age. The Strategy has been extended to the end of 2022, in order to account for the various impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic on previous timelines.

Current priority deliverables under the Strategy are HIV prevention, including the continued expansion of a Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) programme, which commenced in late 2019, and the HIV Fast Track Cities programme, involving Dublin, Cork, Limerick and Galway. Other key areas of work include expanding access to contraception, free of charge; expanding sexually transmitted infection (STI) services, progressing a population survey on sexual health and improving sexual health education, training and resources, including in schools, higher and further education.

A review of the Strategy began in 2021, having been postponed as a result of the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic. Focus group meetings were held with key stakeholders, including clinical and public health staff, the HSE Sexual Health and Crisis Pregnancy Programme (SHCPP) team, those working in STI clinics, the education sector, the Department of Health and Women’s Health Taskforce, the research and academic sector and organisations representing the LGBTI+ community.

The detailed feedback from these meetings has been collated and will inform the future direction of the next iteration of the strategy. An external review of the Strategy has been approved and is currently being commissioned through standard procurement processes. It is envisaged that the procurement process will conclude by July, with the Review to take 3-4 months once commenced. When complete, the Report will be published on the Healthy Ireland website. Results will, in turn, inform future policy direction and the Women's Health Taskforce will continue to provide input as the policy is implemented.

Following the completion of the Review, and taking into account its recommendations, drafting of a renewed National Sexual Health Strategy will commence.

Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
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358. To ask the Minister for Health the status of the implementation of the Hepatitis C strategy; if a screening programme for persons born between 1965 and 1985 is being considered; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27049/22]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.