National Sexual Health Strategy

The National Sexual Health Strategy 2015 – 2020 is a strategic framework for the sexual health and wellbeing of the Irish population and was launched in October 2015.

While Ireland had previously developed regional sexual health strategies and national strategies to address specific sexual health issues, this is the first time a coordinated approach has been developed at national level to address sexual health and wellbeing and to reduce negative sexual health outcomes. The strategy will run from 2015-2020.

The ambition behind the strategy is that everyone in Ireland experiences positive sexual health and wellbeing, and has access to high quality sexual health information, education and services. It takes a life course approach to sexual health which acknowledges the importance of developing healthy sexuality throughout childhood and adolescence and builds on that foundation for positive sexual health and wellbeing into adulthood and older age.

The three key goals of the strategy are to ensure that:

• everyone has access to appropriate sexual health education and information
• high quality sexual health services are available and affordable
• good quality data is available to guide the service

An independent review of the Strategy has been carried out by Crowe Ireland on behalf of the Department of Health; this has identified the majority of actions in the Strategy as having been successfully progressed and also sets out indicative recommendations to build on ongoing achievements and to optimise the development of a new Strategy. The Review is also available below.

For practical supports for sexual wellbeing visit sexualwellbeing.ie