The Irish Family Planning Association (IFPA) has announced a new scheme to provide home testing kits for common sexually transmitted infections (STIs).

The IFPA says this service will provide accessible and affordable testing for STIs, including chlamydia, gonorrhoea and HIV.

It says the move is aimed at eliminating barriers to STI testing, in particular for people in remote areas and those on low incomes who cab be asked to pay up to €125  for a full screening at local STI clinics.

The IFPA says with the new service, a person completes a short questionnaire to assess whether the online service is appropriate.

A home test kit will then be sent to the client, who then posts a sample it to a lab in Dublin.

The client is then notified of the results via your a confidential online record.

The standard self-testing service costs €50 with the enhanced service costing €70 - the type of service required depends on which disease is being checked.

The IFPA is running the service with Lloyds Online Doctor.