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Northern Ireland lifting lifetime gay blood ban 'noted' by health minister

The Irish Blood Transfusion Service will examine the issue and make a recommendation to the Department of Health later this month.

IRELAND’S HEALTH MINISTER Simon Harris has ‘noted’ the decision in Northern Ireland to overturn the lifetime ban on gay men donating blood.

This follows the announcement earlier today by NI Health Minister Michelle O’Neill that new policy on the issue will come into effect on 1 September.

As things currently stand both north and south of the border, a man who has had sex with another man is banned from giving blood for life.

Sinn Féin MLA O’Neill has said that gay and bisexual men who have had sex with another another man will be able to donate blood one year after last having had sex with another man.

O’Neill made the announcement earlier today during a visit to a The Rainbow Project, an LGBT activism group based in Belfast.

Gay men blood donation Michelle O'Neill and director of the Rainbow Project John O'Doherty pictured earlier today Michael Cooper / PA Wire Michael Cooper / PA Wire / PA Wire

The lifetime gay blood ban was introduced UK-wide in 1981 as a reaction to the AIDS epidemic of the time.

Currently a one-year deferral system is in place across the rest of the United Kingdom, something that was introduced back in 2011.

It is understood that the change will not be opposed by the Democratic Unionist Party, who had held the health ministry since 2011 and opposed earlier calls for a change of legislation.

South of the border, later this month the board of the Irish Blood Transfusion Service will consider a report from the Medical Advisory Committee on the issue, after which a recommendation will be made to the Department of Health.

Read: This 23-year-old student is challenging Ireland’s gay blood donation ban

Also: Blood supply for hospitals dangerously low ahead of St Patrick’s Day

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    Mute bacoxy
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    Aug 15th 2015, 6:00 PM

    I wish them the best of luck, really funny and well observed shorts.

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    Mute Micheal S. O' Ceilleachair
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    Aug 15th 2015, 7:11 PM

    Skinny jeans!

    219
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    Mute Ronan Stokes
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    Aug 15th 2015, 9:14 PM

    I wonder how John is gettin on with the Iraqi?

    144
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    Mute Conor Power
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    Aug 15th 2015, 6:03 PM

    Only complaint I have is that there are not a few more episodes!

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    Mute Figo murphy
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    Aug 15th 2015, 6:23 PM

    More episodes please.

    Hilarious stuff

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    Mute Supernova
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    Aug 15th 2015, 6:09 PM

    This and Sminky Shorts are very good.I dont know would the yanks get it though.

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    Mute The Girl
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    Aug 15th 2015, 6:01 PM

    It’s times like that I’m proud to be Irish..

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    Mute Aaron Kavanagh
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    Aug 15th 2015, 6:59 PM

    I love Martin’s Life!

    I wonder if people outside of Ireland would get the humour, though.

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    Mute Jess Foley
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    Aug 15th 2015, 6:31 PM

    hilarious

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    Mute Anthony John Cotter
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    Aug 15th 2015, 6:44 PM

    Love the four, we need to roar for more.

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    Mute Fiona Wederfoort
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    Aug 15th 2015, 8:23 PM

    ‘A couple of what?’ ‘A couple of gay people!!’ HILARIOUS….we need more!!!!

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    Mute Mac L0ve
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    Aug 15th 2015, 9:18 PM

    How could you not hear “game of throws”?

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    Mute Boxer Alice
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    Aug 15th 2015, 8:28 PM

    Martin’s Life is just so funny! Whoever writes it deserves an award of some kind. I do feel only an Irish audience would get it though, but nothing wrong with that!

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    Mute Larry David the 2nd
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    Aug 15th 2015, 10:05 PM

    “Tis’nt it well for them the bisexuals ”

    I bloody love this series!

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    Mute Michael O'connor
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    Aug 15th 2015, 7:37 PM

    Very funny. good luck with it lads

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    Mute molly coddled
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    Aug 15th 2015, 8:40 PM

    Brilliant, hope you do incredibly well.

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    Mute Louise Morris
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    Aug 15th 2015, 7:10 PM

    Too funny, my tummy aches. The only other laugh I got like this is for David O’ Doherty (comedian) . Check him out on you tube if you need more laughs like this. I love being Irish and our accents are the best !

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    Mute Paul Morrissey
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    Aug 15th 2015, 8:57 PM

    it’s a small world!!!!!!!

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    Mute eoin o mahony
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    Aug 18th 2015, 8:36 PM
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    Mute sonny red
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    Aug 16th 2015, 2:17 AM

    Jaysus,those dwarfs are comical.I wonder do they get paid.

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    Mute Cheeto Ballsack
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    Aug 15th 2015, 11:17 PM

    This is brilliant

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    Mute Elizabeth Rohan Lenihan
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    Aug 16th 2015, 2:26 AM

    Absolutely love Martin’ Life. Can’t wait for more. My 91 year old mother loves them too!!

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    Mute sonny red
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    Aug 16th 2015, 2:10 AM

    He’s watching a game of throws,with that small fella and mcully culkin.hahaha

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    Mute Sean O'Malley
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    Aug 15th 2015, 7:04 PM

    youtube search: morning after night in coppers

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    Mute Stephen Mullan
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    Aug 15th 2015, 10:45 PM

    Thing is anyone can make those cartoons. They’re on a package you buy online for €9.99 a month. You just pick your characters, hair colour, clothes etc and put your voice to it. So to say he’s too lazy to do more of them just makes you think. How lazy is he?

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    Mute Laithbheartaigh
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    Aug 16th 2015, 12:48 PM

    ignorance is bliss to some people i guess, over the top superlatives!

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    Mute Laithbheartaigh
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    Aug 16th 2015, 12:29 PM

    This is done using GoAnimate software and is not hard to do, its the script thats the hard thing, which is very funny in this case.

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