The President, Mary McAleese, has called for a concerted global effort to tackle the spread of HIV/AIDS.
Delivering the opening address at the annual UNICEF International Committee meeting in Dublin this morning, Mrs McAleese said there was a need for frank discussion about the disease at every level in society.
Mrs McAleese said the ‘toxic tide’ of HIV/AIDS would not ebb unless it became a high priority issue worldwide, with sufficient resources to deal with it on a strategic, multilateral level.
The president said individuals had to be helped and encouraged to change their behaviour responsibly to stem the spread of the disease.
Over 100 delegates from 37 countries gathered in Dublin for the meeting, including the Goodwill Ambassador, Harry Belafonte.
UNICEF says the HIV/AIDS pandemic is orphaning generations of children worldwide. 14 million children have already lost parents to the disease and by 2010 it is estimated that at least 25 million will have been orphaned by AIDS.
