The Gay and Lesbian Equality Network (GLEN) has welcomed reports that the board of the Irish Blood Transfusion Service will recommend to the Minister for Health to remove the permanent ban on blood donation by gay men.

In a statement this evening Director Brian Sheehan said the replacement of the ban by a one-year deferral for gay men was good progress.

He went on to say the existing permanent ban that is in place since the 80s was implemented at time of little information on or understanding of HIV.

In July of last year, a 23-year-old student from Castlegar in Galway began a High Court challenge, after he was banned from donating blood in Ireland.

The decision not to take Tomás Heneghan’s blood last May came after he disclosed having a sexual encounter with another man six months earlier.

Mr Heneghan said he had undergone various tests after having had sex, all of which proved negative.

His lawyers said that refusing to take his blood was discriminatory, disproportionate and contrary to EU law.