Irish Aids Day 2026: Statements
Seanad Éireann — 2026-06-17
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Maria Byrne (FG), Agricultural Panel

I thank the Minister for coming to the House to discuss this all-important issue. I also thank officials for their commitment. I welcome the guests in the Visitors Gallery.
It is a very important discussion. As the Minister said in her opening statement, we remember those who are no longer with us and who died of HIV and AIDS, and we remember the whole stigma piece. I acknowledge the work that the Minister and her Department have done in bringing in the community care piece with the pharmacies and doctors. That has encouraged awareness. People should not be afraid to be tested, and that is a strong message.
Many of us know people who have died in the past, and we understand the fear factor and the stigma. Even some of their family members were running away from the issue. The fact that we are having an open conversation is a good starting point. HIV Remembrance Day was two days ago. A lot has happened. I compliment everybody who has been involved in highlighting this issue through the years, and those who were not afraid to come forward to discuss and share their own experiences or to highlight issues of remembering people they knew who have passed away.
The fact that the You, Me and HIV campaign focuses on a simple message has ensured it is a strong message and it is something we need to build on. It is about encouraging people. There are still some people who are afraid to come forward or to get tested. It is about giving them the confidence and courage to do that. The fact is that once people are on the treatment, they cannot pass it on to other people, whether a partner or otherwise. That is an important message, but sometimes those messages do not resonate or land with people. They are really important messages that we in the Oireachtas, community pharmacists and doctors need to get across to people. When people come in, they should be assured that help is at hand. That is a strong message.
In the past, the Department has rolled out things like free condoms, advice and leaflets. At that stage, as I said, some people were still running away from it. However, there is now so much emphasis on this and support for people. That is very important. “Support” is a very important word.
Some people still receive a diagnosis each year. The Minister said that 41% of people are diagnosed late, which is quite a high number. That goes back to the fear factor when people were afraid to come forward. A lot has happened since then. The Minister and her Department are working to build on what has happened and where we can go from there. I compliment all involved, but I also remember those who have gone before us. Many families suffered loss, and they did not know what was happening at the time. It is important to think of those families when we are having this debate.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/seanad/2026-06-17/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:55:04+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-06-17