People living in Dublin will soon be able to avail of free 30-second HIV tests when they go to the pub.

The move is just one element of the country's first National Sexual Health Strategy, which has been launched by the Minister for Health, Leo Varadkar.

As part of the strategy, €150,000 has been allocated to pilot Dublin's first free rapid HIV testing service. Existing services in Cork and Limerick will also be expanded.

The Dublin service will be run by the Gay & Lesbian Equality Network as a one-year pilot and it will offer a mixture of on-site testing in workplaces, bars, other suitable venues and a new testing centre.

The rapid test takes about 30 seconds to administer and results are available in around 20 minutes.

"We want to remove the stigma around sexual health and promote a more mature and open attitude. Our goals are to expand existing services and make it easier for people to get tested, raise awareness of sexual health issues, and improve education by training teachers, youth workers and healthcare professionals," commented Minister Varadkar.

Recent data from the Healthy Ireland Survey suggested that many people are engaging in risky sexual behaviour. Some 17% of people having sex with someone outside of a steady relationship were not using any form of contraception, while 54% of men who had sex with another man had not used a condom.

Meanwhile, the number of STI notifications rose from 3,361 in 1995 to 12,753 in 2013 - a 279% jump. While some of this may be down to increased testing, the Department of Health believes that cannot explain the figures alone.

"The recent increase in sexually transmitted infections means this is a good time to publish the strategy, and we particularly want to target at-risk groups. In the past, sex and sexual health were taboo subjects, but sex is a normal part of life and is essential to our survival as a species.

"Ultimately, good sexual health is down to personal responsibility but the Government can help by educating people to make better decisions about their sexual health, understand the personal and social cost of having an STI and by improving access to affordable testing and treatment," Minister Varadkar said.

Some key measures contained in the Strategy include:
-The appointment of Dr Fiona Lyons as HSE national clinical lead for sexual health services. She will ensure that these services are delivered to the highest clinical standards
-Raising awareness of the risks associated with having unprotected sex and the importance of STI testing and treatment.
"I am looking forward to providing leadership and governance to ensure high quality sexual health services for everyone in Ireland. This strategy gives us the opportunity to work together and build further on the great work already in progress towards realising the vision that everyone in Ireland experiences positive sexual health and wellbeing," Dr Lyons commented.

The Strategy covers the period 2015-2020. It can be viewed here