Colm Burke
Ceist:940. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health the progress of eradicating HIV transmission as a public health threat in Ireland; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17034/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraTuesday, 3 March 2026
Ceisteanna (940)
Freagraí scríofa
Sexual health continues to be a priority for this Government, this Department and for the HSE.
The Programme for Government, Securing Ireland’s Future, 2025, commits to developing an HIV Action Plan, increasing the availability of Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) and reducing waiting times for access to it, in addition to the publication of a new Sexual Health Strategy.
The new National Sexual Health Strategy, 2025-2035 (NSHS) and National Sexual Health Action Plan, 2025-2038 (NSHAP), published in June, 2025, commit to developing Models of Care for sexual health and for HIV, to develop an HIV Action Plan, as per the Programme for Government commitment, and to expand community options for the delivery of PrEP, including widening access through primary care and exploring digital options.
The NSHS and NSHAP (included in one document) can be accessed at the following link: [www.gov.ie/en/healthy-ireland/policy-information/national-sexual-health-strategy-2025-2035/] .
Work is commencing on the HIV Action Plan; a subgroup of the NSHS Implementation Group focussing on sexual health services has been convened and will oversee and co-ordinate drafting. A stakeholder consultation request has been shared with clinical, sexual health and public health experts, other relevant divisions of the HSE, community and research partners and representative organisations working with people at risk of and living with HIV.
It is envisaged that the Action Plan will encompass all areas of HIV prevention, testing, diagnosis, surveillance, and care and supports for people living with HIV, also supporting the international goals and commitments to which Ireland is a signatory.
It is vital that those at risk of HIV infection are encouraged to access regular testing and preventive programmes such as Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) and post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP). These measures are key elements towards achieving UN and WHO aims of ending the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Europe by 2030 and supporting wider national and international commitments, including the Sustainable Development Goals.
The free home STI testing service, which includes HIV, was launched nationally in 2022 following a successful Sláintecare Integration Fund pilot, and has been expanded in line with increasing demand. The service is credited with increasing testing capacity by circa 33%, and may have played a part in the decrease in STI rates seen to date from 2024 onwards. Early detection means lower onward transmission and the home testing service is anecdotally reaching many who might have been reluctant to attend an STI clinic in person.
A national HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) programme commenced in November 2019. Free PrEP medication is available to individuals who meet clinical eligibility criteria, attending HSE approved PrEP services. Public PrEP services are delivered through the public network of STI clinics and through some approved private providers. There are currently 13 approved public PrEP services, located in public STI clinics, and 42 private or general practitioner (GP) PrEP providers. Appointments at the 13 public PrEP services are free of charge, however, the private providers charge for consultations.
The population has grown significantly in recent years, and clinical criteria for PrEP eligibility have been widened, increasing the number of people eligible. The number of people eligible to access PrEP has been expanding since inception, with the number of individuals re-imbursed for PrEP at least once expanding from 1763 in 2020 to 7,037 users by the end of 2025. An additional 2,196 new PrEP users were added in 2025.
While the PrEP service continues to grow, many PrEP services had reached capacity and service users were reporting challenges accessing appointments. In order to expand PrEP services and provide additional supports to our rapidly growing population, we were allocated additional funding of €550,000, through Budget 2025, and an additional €100,000 in 2026, to further support delivery of the PrEP scheme. The total allocation to €6.55m in 2025.
The 2025 allocation included funding for 7WTE to increase capacity for in-person appointments within the PrEP clinics, with all staff in place by October, 2025. In order to increase the number of providers, a PrEP competency framework and eLearning platform has been developed; these can be accessed by GPs with an interest in providing PrEP; numbers have increased substantially in 2025.
Current research, funded under the HRB's Evidence for Policy programme, is ongoing to establish an online PrEP pathway, as a digital solution to address PrEP capacity challenges, which will be comprehensively evaluated in regards to efficiency, capacity, value for money, feasibility and acceptability. However, despite additional staffing, support for medications, increases in the numbers of private providers, and streamlining treatment pathways, we are aware that additional capacity for PrEP may be needed.
The National Condom Distribution Service, another key aspect of prevention, continues to distribute condoms through the national STI clinic network, on campus and in partnership with community organisations working to support key groups at higher risk of HIV and STI infection. Over 1.2m free condoms were distributed in 2025
The HSE also continues to run campaigns with regard to both prevention and to tackle stigma related to HIV infection. Late diagnosis can be related to fear of stigma related to HIV; the "You, Me and HIV" campaign was launched by the HSE in 2025, in partnership with Poz Vibes, a community group representing and supporting people living with HIV. The campaign highlights the importance of early diagnosis and viral suppression, highlighting that one can live a normal life with HIV treatment and that undetectable = untransmissible. More information on the campaign can be found here: [www.about.hse.ie/news/hse-launches-new-campaign-to-address-hiv-stigma-in-ireland/]
The Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) publish weekly and annual reports on HIV incidence. These can be accessed at [www.hpsc.ie/a-z/hivandaids/hivdataandreports/]