Vol. 430 No. 2
55 Mr. Cullen asked the Minister for Health if he has any plans to allow for the advertising and promotion of the sale of condoms in view of the fact that the promotion of safe sex by the use of condoms is seen as an important way of preventing the spread of the HIV virus and other sexual diseases; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
64 Mr. Creed asked the Minister for Health the time frame within which he intends to relax the restrictions on the availability of condoms; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
70 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Health if he will ensure that the contraceptive pill is available to medical card holders in order to end the anomaly whereby the contraceptive pill is prescribed to medical card holders as a cycle regulator but is not prescribed, and is thus not available, for the purposes of contraception.
81 Mr. Crowley asked the Minister for Health his views on the recommendation of the Second Commission on the Status of Women that there should be an amendment to family planning legislation to provide for the sale of condoms through vending machines.
96 Mr. Shatter asked the Minister for Health whether it is intended to introduce legislation to allow the sale of condoms through vending machines; and if so, when this will be done.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 55, 64, 70, 81 and 96 together.
The advertising of condoms is permitted under the Health (Family Planning) Regulations, 1992, and it is my intention to promote the use of condoms in multi-media public information programmes in the fight against AIDS. The Programme for a Partnership Government provides for the more widespread availability of condoms in the context of the fight against AIDS/HIV. The amending legislation will be brought before this House as early as possible. As regards the contraceptive pill, I have made arrangements to ensure that this will be available to medical card holders, if prescribed, either as a cycle regulator or a contraceptive.
