I propose to take Questions Nos. 568 and 573 together.

The Health Service Executive is aware of England’s National Chlamydia Screening Programme. To investigate the feasibility, acceptability and likely uptake of chlamydia screening in various settings, the Health Protection Surveillance Centre, supported by the Health Research Board, contracted a team of population health and other specialists from the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, the National University of Ireland Galway and the HSE to conduct a pilot study of chlamydia screening in Ireland. This study, entitled The Chlamydia Screening in Ireland Pilot Study, concluded that a national opportunistic chlamydia screening programme would not be cost-effective in Ireland. It would be difficult to achieve the necessary coverage levels to reduce the reservoir of infection in the Irish population; and recent international evidence has also cast doubt on the effectiveness of population chlamydia screening.

In response to the rising rates of STIs a high level steering group was set up by my Department to oversee the drafting of a National Sexual Health Strategy. The Strategy will formulate a strategic direction for the delivery of sexual health services. The plan will focus on improving sexual health and wellbeing and address the surveillance, testing, treatment and prevention of HIV and STIs, crisis pregnancy, and sexual health education and promotion. The Strategy will be in line with Healthy Ireland and is nearing completion. It will be submitted to Government upon completion.