Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 26 June 2025
54. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health the reason the new sexual health strategy has still not been published; the definitive timeline for its approval by Government and subsequent publication; if the strategy is still at design stage, as was the case in May of this year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34816/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraSexual health is a priority for this Government. The National Sexual Health Strategy, 2025-2035 and the first National Sexual Health Action Plan, 2025-2028 were approved by Government on the 10th of June, 2025 and published on 25th June, 2025.
The drafting process for the National Sexual Health Strategy, 2025-2035, 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 HSE, and the Strategy underwent an additional round of stakeholder consultation and feedback, completed in mid-2024.
It was decided that the Strategy should be launched under the new Government in order to incorporate priorities from the Programme for Government, Securing Ireland’s Future, 2025 . The Strategy is supported by the National Sexual Health Action Plan, 2025-2028, that maps out implementation plans for the first 3 years of its term. The Action Plan is included in the Strategy document: both are available from the 25th June on the Healthy Ireland website at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/healthy-ireland/policy-information/national-sexual-health-strategy/.
Service improvements detailed in the Strategy have been ongoing in the meantime; an additional €1.35m has been allocated to free home STI testing, HIV Pre-exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) and the free contraception scheme in 2025.
The Press Release for the Strategy can be accessed here: www.gov.ie/en/department-of-health/press-releases/ministers-for-health-publish-the-national-sexual-health-strategy-2025-2035/.
