Ireland
| National policy | |
|---|---|
| National policy/strategy or official recommendations on HIV testing? | Yes |
| National policy/strategy document | |
| Who can administer HIV tests? | |
| Restrictions on who can legally administer HIV tests? | No |
| Which groups can legally do HIV testing? | |
| Further comments | The full set of recommendations on testing are available as part of the document National Sexual Health Strategy available here health.gov.ie/healthy-ireland/national-sexual-health-strategy-2015-2020/ |
| Free HIV testing | |
| HIV testing free to all who want it? | Yes in certain places |
| Further comments | Primarily free from clinics and NGOs. Not free from GPs or hospital consultants in private practice |
| Is free HIV testing available? | Yes in certain places |
| Further comments | Primarily in higher density towns and cities. But anyone can access free testing if they travel to a centre. |
| HIV testing restrictions | |
| HIV testing access restricted for some groups/populations? | No |
| Which groups are restricted | |
| Further comments | |
| Availability of testing in non-clinical settings | |
| Is testing available in any of the following ways? | |
| Postal HIV sampling legal? | Yes |
| Home HIV testing legal? | No |
| Community testing at NGOs legal? | Yes |
| Community/outreach event testing legal? | Yes |
| Other | Postal HIV sampling is available - i.e not legislated against - but it is a private service - i.e available at a cost.. |
| Rapid tests used by community based testing services/initiatives? | Finger blood, Saliva |
| Anonymity/Confidentiality of HIV testing | |
| Anonymous testing available? | No |
| If yes, please give details | |
| If not, why not, what sort of information is required and is there any promise of confidentiality? | Name and phone number provided but detached from test forms so confidentiality not breached. |
| Discrimination & equality | |
| Legislation | |
| Legislation protecting the rights of people with HIV? | Yes |
| Further comments | Yes. Anti-discrimination legislation protects people living with HIV. it is illegal to discriminate against people with HIV in employment, education, and in the provision of goods and services according to the Equal Status Act 2000-2008 and the Employment Act 2004. These can be accessed at www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/2000/act/8/enacted/en/html https://www.workplacerelations.ie/en https://www.tcd.ie/equality/policies-legislation/legislation.php ww.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/2004/act/24/enacted/en/html |
| Other key populations | |
| Needle exchange available for people who inject drugs? | Yes |
| Further comments | In major towns and cities and some other places through pharmacies. Not available in prisons. Availability of needle exchange is also confirmed by information available on https://www.hri.global/global-state-of-harm-reduction |
| Opiate substitution therapy available? | Yes |
| Further comments | Availability of OST
is also confirmed by information available on https://www.hri.global/global-state-of-harm-reduction |
| Are PWID (people who inject drugs) excluded from HIV treatment while actively using drugs? | No |
| Further comments | |
| Legal to sell sex? | Yes |
| Further comments | Legislation is currently being discussed to criminalise the purchase of sex. See http://www.thejournal.ie/criminalising-sex-laws-passed-seanad-2372035-Oct2015/ |
| Legal to buy sex? | Yes |
| Further comments | For further information: http://sexualrightsdatabase.org/map/21/Adult%20sex%20work/466/Ireland |
| Access to HIV Treatment | |
| Free access to HIV treatment? | Yes, for all |
| Further comments | |
| Status and access to HIV treatment and care in your country | |
| Access to HIV treatment restricted for certain populations with HIV? | No |
| Which groups are restricted? | |
| If more than one of the above populations selected, please give more information | |
| Status | |
| Country status | EU |
| Mobility in Europe | |
| Do the following groups/populations have legal access to HIV treatment? (i.e provided on the same basis as citizens of the country) | |
| Legal treatment access: Other EU migrant nationals | Yes there is universal access |
| If yes but exceptions, please describe | |
| Legal treatment access: general non-EU migrants | Yes there is universal access |
| If yes but exceptions, please describe | Clinicians decide who and when to treat |
| Legal treatment access: Non-EU migrants with asylum/refugee status | Yes there is universal access |
| If yes but exceptions, please describe | Once again it is clinical decisions |
| Legal treatment access: Non-EU migrants who are undocumented | Yes there is universal access |
| If yes but exceptions, please describe | If a clinician decides to treat, there are no barriers to treatment. Decisions should be based on medical criteria. |
| Further comments | |
| About this data | |
| Last minor revision | 27 October 2016 |
| Last major revision | 27 October 2016 |
| Published | 29 October 2016 |
| Data sources | As well as responses from in-country individuals and organisations information was taken from the following sources:http://ecdc.europa.eu/en/healthtopics/aids/Pages/monitoring-dublin-declaration.aspx |
| Data contacts |
Responses were received from The Sexual Health Centre and HIV services network (www.sexualhealthcentre.com). |