Blood donor ban ‘not equality issue’

Any decision to lift the ban on gay people becoming blood donors will be taken on scientific grounds, as it is not an equality issue, Health Minister Leo Varadkar has said.

Mr Varadakar, who recently came out as being gay, was responding to comments from the Irish Haemophilia Society, which is opposed to gay people being allowed to donate blood.

Speaking as he opened a new €40 million critical care unit at University Hospital Limerick, Mr Varadkar said: “I have a report from the Irish Blood Transfusion Service that presents a number of options.