asked the Minister for Health the number of babies who have been born in Dublin with AIDS or are HIV positive; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
100.
Written Answers. - AIDS Statistics.
99.
asked the Minister for Health the number of babies who have been born in Ireland with AIDS or are HIV positive; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
101.
asked the Minister for Health the number of intravenous drug users who are registered in Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
102.
asked the Minister for Health the percentage and the number of persons diagnosed HIV positive in Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
103.
asked the Minister for Health the number of intravenous drug users who are registered for the Dublin area; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
104.
asked the Minister for Health the percentage of persons diagnosed with AIDS who are intravenous drug users; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
105.
asked the Minister for Health the number of persons from Dublin who are diagnosed as having AIDS; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
106.
asked the Minister for Health the number of persons who are registered HIV positive in this country; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
107.
asked the Minister for Health the percentage and the number of persons in Ireland who are intravenous drug users and who are diagnosed HIV positive; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
108.
asked the Minister for Health the number of persons from Dublin who are HIV positive; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
109.
asked the Minister for Health the percentage and the number of Dublin persons registered as intravenous drug users and who are also diagnosed as being HIV positive; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 99 to 109 inclusive, together.
There is no scheme for the registration of intravenous drug abusers in this country. However, Ireland is playing a leading role in a study, which comes under the aegis of the Council of Europe's Pompidou Group (co-operation group to combat drug abuse and illicit trafficking), the aim of which is to set up a drug reporting system based on reliable sets of indicators which can be used throughout the member states and which will give an accurate picture of the level of drug abuse. The study is being piloted in Dublin and London.
Both the reporting system for monitoring the number of AIDS cases, and the HIV-testing service are operated on a confidential basis. For this reason, it is not possible to give a geographical breakdown of the figures available.
Up to 19 October 1988, 64 cases of AIDS were reported in this country, of which 21 cases or 33 per cent were from the intravenous drug abusers category and three cases or 5 per cent were babies born to intravenous drug abusers. To 30 September last, the total number of tests for HIV was 20,033 of which 778 or 4 per cent proved positive. Four hundred and fifty-seven or 59 per cent of these were from the intravenous drug abuser category. Forty-eight or 6 per cent were babies born to intravenous drug abusers.