Jim Walsh, former senator for Fianna Fail, claims that a gay man told him that money being raised for the marriage equality referendum would be better spent on HIV treatment in Ireland.

The senator, who left the Fianna Fail party last week as he disagreed with his party’s stance on same-sex marriage and gay adoption spoke in the Seanad this afternoon. Walsh explained how he talked with a gay man over the weekend about the referendum – who speculated that it would cost the taxpayer €21 million.

“He said that money could be so much better spent, in his opinion,” said Walsh.

“He said, for example, if that money were to be used to provide free HIV testing to people who are homosexual, where there’s an increase now in the numbers affected by HIV, it would be far better expenditure of money.”

Voting for the marriage equality referendum will take place on May 22.