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CIVIL SERVICE BANS ANTI-GAY DISCRIMINATION THE civil service is to ban discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation, becoming one of the first employers in the State to do so. The move comes as part of a significant agreement on people with AIDS working in the civil service, drawn up by the Union of Professional and Technical Civil Servants (UPTCS). The agreement states that "discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or medical condition (e.g. haemophilia) will not be tolerated in the Civil Service". It also says that "nothing in this policy state­ment is to be interpreted as constituting a waiver of man­ agement’s reponsability to maintain discipline or its right to take disciplinary measures under normal disciplinary pro­cedures." The backbone of the agree­ment is that civil servants who have AIDS or are HIV positive will be kept on "for as long as they can perform their duties to an acceptable standard." The normal sick leave regula­tions apply. This is normally six months on full pay fol­lowed by six months on half pay, after which there is a review. The policy is being distri­buted to all civil servants as Circular 12/88. It also men­tions that medical records must remain confidential. A spokesman for the UPTCS, which negotiated the agree­ment, said they were having talks with An Post and Tele­com Eireann about introducing the same policy.

IRISH AIDS CONFERENCE A major conference on AIDS is scheduled for All Hallows College at Drumcondra, Dublin on the weekend of 26-28 August. The organisers of the conference, AIDS Action Alliance in Dublin and AIDS Helpline in Belfast, aim to bring together over 100 people with a high level of AIDS awareness and experience who will implement an effective strategy to "ensure that everyone who is affected by the (HIV) virus has access to the support and service provision they need, and that people in Ireland receive the education necessary to prevent the spread of the disease". Both organisations have joined forces to run the conference as Irish AIDS Initiative (IAI). IAI's aims, among other things, are to devise action plans covering AIDS on social, political, medical and personal levels and to produce a Charter of Rights for people with AIDS/HIV. The conference will be workshop based and IAI intend it to represent the full range of experience of AIDS in Ireland.

Lesbian and Gay Youth Group Outing It has now become standard practice that the Youth Group goes on an outing every bank holiday Monday. This particular holiday saw us going on an outing to "The Scalp", a big hill/small mountain just outside Enniskerry. We had arranged to meet outside the Central Bank at 11.00, to catch the 11.30 bus to Enniskerry. Due to the occurrence of a birthday party the night before, some people were a bit under the weather, but prepared to give it a try anyway. Fifteen people boarded the bus and were subsequently given a guided tour of Dublin, with night clubs etc. indicated to newer members of the group. Also pointed out was "the window" where the people on the last outing beheld a wonderful sight. At roughly 12.30, we alighted from the bus and proceeded to begin the climb, undaunted by the rain. After a little uncertainty as to where to go when we hit the top, we eventually found ourselves eating lunch under the shelter of a large pine tree. Suitably nourished, and after more debating as to which direction to take, we proceeded on to "the tower", where we played a sort of rugby, much to the amusement of some local children! (They learned something about love anyway). Some of us then proceeded to climb the tower, while others panicked quietly (or not!) with their feet firmly planted par terre. The privileged few took the short way back to Enniskerry (and by car too), while the rest of us had to plod along the 5 mile back-road, to eventually meet them at the pub an hour later. We got our strength back there before getting the bus back home at 5.30, by which time we could only manage to collapse into each other's arms. So tired was the group that we all went to bed VERY early, not even having the energy for a night in the pub! Tony Murphy

NO RINGING TONE FOR TAF Tel-A-Friend, Dublin's Gay Switchboard and more commonly known as TAF, has been off the air since late June. The Switchboard, which has been operating with considerable hassle since the fire at the Hirschfeld Centre last year, normally operates 2 telephone lines for three hours every evening. For the past two weeks it has been piggy-back riding on the three-night-a -week AIDS Helpline phone number (Dublin 307888). TAF was formed in 1974, making it Ireland's oldest gay organisation. In 1979 it moved into the Hirschfeld Centre with the National Gay Federation,which financially supported the befriending and information telephone service up until last year's fire. The Switchboard has excellent relations with The Samaritans and other help agencies. It handles about 5.000 calls per year from gay people throughout the island. TAF also organises the very successful ICEBREAKERS meetings in Dublin for gay people "coming out of their closet" and others feeling isolated or lonely. The National Gay Federation has been helping the Switchboard to find suitable, short-term accommodation. Postal enquiries to TAF are still being accepted at the old address, i.e. 10 Fownes Street, Dublin 2. Letters for answering by Dear Dorothy should be sent to GCN at PO.BOX 931, Dublin 4.

WE ARE EVERYWHERE A video detailing the work of International Lesbian and Gay Association (ILGA) is available from the National Gay Federation offices for a small hiring charge. The video is entitled, "We are Everywhere" and has some good images of the lesbian and gay community worldwide. VHS only. Telephone (01)732693 [2-5pm] for details.

AIDS MEMORIAL QUILT GOES WORLDWIDE The Names Project, a US AIDS Memorial based in San Fransicso, taking the form of a huge quilt with individual 90cmx180cm panels bearing the name of a single person lost to AIDS, has recently made the decision to launch the Quilt worldwide. Eighty panels-from the Quilt were displayed at the 4th International Conference on AIDS in Stockholm on June 16. The Quilt, already consisting of nearly 5,000 panels, was first displayed in the United States on the Capitol Mall in Washington, DC in October 1987 (see photo). The memorial is an ongoing project and panels continue to be added as an example of a compassionate response to the AIDS situation. According to Cleve Jones, Executive Director of The NAMES Project, the goals of the Quilt are : "To illustrate the impact of the AIDS epidemic by showing the humanity behind the statistics, to provide a positive and creative means of expression for those whose lives have been touched by the epidemic and to raise vital funds and encourage support for people with AIDS and their loved ones". Jones, who presented the selection of panels at the Stockholm Conference, told delegates that "AIDS is a global issue and the Quilt is a symbol of unity in the global struggle against the disease".Readers of GCN who wish to create a panel for the Quilt should send a request for further information to the National Gay Federation enclosing an SAE, at PO Box 931, Dublin 4.

BRITISH DAY CENTRE FOR HIV PATIENTS OPENS The Kobler Centre, the first day centre of its kind in Britain offering advice, assessment and treatment for HIV positive patients, opened its doors at St Stephen's Hospital in Fulham, London on July 4. The aim of the centre is to enable HIV positive people to stay in the community for as long as possible, through the provision of outpatient monitoring, treatment and investigations on a day care basis. It will also relieve some of the extra inpatient demands which have been placed on the hospital in recent years as the country's leading centre for the treatment of people with AIDS. Up to 18 patients will be seen each day at the centre, which is part of a six storey development at the hospital. Over 12,000 patients will be seen each year in the outpatients clinic and 4,500 a year in the day centre.The £4 million cost of the centre has been funded jointly by Riverside Health Authority and the Charity CRUSAID, whose original offer of funding provided the stimulus for the scheme. CRUSAID have appointed interior designers, Derek Frost Associates to assist in the design of the main waiting areas and local artists have been commissioned to design windows to enhance the appearance of the centre so that it provides a warm and relaxed environment for patients, their friends and relatives.

QUANTAS O.K. In the last three years, Australia has allowed 149 gay men to settle in the country, because of their relationships with Australian lovers. In a similar enlighened approach, Qantas, the Australian airline, has publicly announced its policy of giving positive assistance to employees who have AIDS. They are keeping on flight crew members with AIDS when they are fit to work; and paying 70% of their normal salaries when they are sick, as well as paying medical insurance and superannuation. PWA's are being allowed to return to work after periods of sickness. This policy strongly contrasts with that of British Airways, who recently announced their decision to screen all potential employees for HIV.

WOMEN GATHERING The International Lesbian Information Service (ILIS) will be holding a four-day workshop in Amsterdam from 19 August. The workshop is designed to appeal to committed activists who will consider among other things, the role of the lesbian network in Europe and its relationship to groups in North America and the Third World.The weekend meeting will also focus its attention on how lesbian activists can best face the challenge of the New Right in Europe. Meanwhile, plans are well advance for the women's international Summercamp at Denmark's KVINDEHOJSKOLEN (The Women's Highschool). The first camp takes place from 31 July to 6 August and costs 25 Dkr. per day (about IR£4.00). This one week long gathering is entitled "Tame the Planets" and according to the press release involves "working in our well nurtured fields - feel the earth under your feet, soil under your nails, sun on your back...supply the kitchen with vegetables during the Summer courses, where appetites grow wild...cut the grass, so no women disappear in the long green blades.."The second gathering at the Women's Highschool will be from 7-20 August and will consist of an international period with three different courses: Ritual and Ceremonial Healing, Creativity, Bodyconsciousness, Relating and Sensuality. This Summercamp will be run in Danish and English and costs 1950 Dkr, (about IR£250) per course, each course running concurrently. Places are still available and may be booked by phoning the Kvindehojskolen at Bredebro, 04 763493.