A senior member of the HSE West Forum has urged dampening the sex life of couples on medical cards in order to addressing the HSE’s €500m shortfall for the year.

Cllr Brian Meaney (Green) made the call yesterday after HSE figures showed that, in one year, the spend on Viagra and similar erectile dysfunction drugs increased by 13% in the HSE West area, which stretches from Donegal to Limerick.

The figures for 2010 — the latest detailed data available — show that, through the medical card system, patients spent €1.42m — an increase on the €1.2m spent on the drugs in 2009.

Public patients are restricted to purchasing four Viagra-type tablets per month by the HSE.

Mr Meaney said the HSE should halve the monthly dosage in order to save money.

"When the HSE is poised to make further cutbacks, I don’t think anyone could argue against a cut in the amount of Viagra dosages a patient receives each month if a cut can maintain services for, say, patients with intellectual disabilities.

"The dosage of four tablets per month is on the generous side and there is nothing to stop these public patients purchasing Viagra privately if that is their wish."

Limerick City and county has the highest public spend onViagra and other erectile dysfunction drugs in the HSE West area.

The figures show that the highest proportion of recipients of the drugs were aged in the 55 to 64-year-old category, accounting for 29%, or €412,834, of the spend in 2010.

Men in the 65 to 69-year-old category cost 12%, or €177,245. Those aged 45 to 54 accounted for 21%, or €308,623, and over-75s made up 10%, compared to a 7% share in 2008. Those aged 25 to 34 accounted for 4% of the spend.

Viagra and Cialis are the market leaders and both drugs regularly feature on the HSE’s top 100 most commonly dispensed drugs.

Limerick represents 22.8% of the spend; 19.6% was spent in Co Galway; 14.8% in Co Donegal; 11.7% in Co Mayo; 10% in Co Clare; 7.6% in Sligo/Leitrim; and 6% in Co Roscommon.

The HSE point out that Viagra is also prescribed for pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) and it is not possible to quantify how much is for treating erectile dysfunction or PAH.