National guidelines advising hospitals to circumcise male infants if requested for religious or cultural reasons are expected to be issued shortly following controversy over the death of a Nigerian infant in 2003.
The circumcision of infants is widespread among a number of ethnic and religious communities in Ireland. It is particularly common among Nigerians from the south of the country, who make up the majority of asylum seekers or residents here from the African state.
While most hospitals do not routinely carry out male circumcisions on cultural or religious grounds, some health boards have made arrangements on an individual basis for providing this service.
Christian Abili-Mordi, of the Association of Nigerian Citizens, said that in the absence of State services, many members of ethnic communities were performing the procedure in private without sufficient medical back-up.
"It is very common among the two main tribes in the south of Nigeria. Maybe 90 per cent of children are circumcised for religious or cultural reasons," he said.
"It's happening regularly here in Ireland every day, but many feel afraid of going to the hospital or feel the services aren't offered. So they go through the back door.
"People feel isolated and marginalised that they don't have access to professional services. The Government needs to recognise that this is part of our cultural heritage and to either train people or provide services."
A report by the North Eastern Health Board - now the HSE North East - into health services at one of the biggest centres for asylum seekers in the State found there had been 44 cases of non-medically managed circumcision of infants over the course of a year.
A working group on the issue of circumcision finalised its report last month and it is now with the Minister for Health, Mary Harney.
Last year the HSE South East agreed to routinely carry out circumcisions on religious grounds, pending the findings of the working group.
This followed a report by Dr Neville DeSouza, a public-health specialist in the HSE, who pointed out that "if these infants are not offered a service by the health board, the parents will turn to individuals who lack the skills and experience to perform it safely and competently, and lack the provision of adequate post-operative care".
He warned that post-operative complications could arise, such as uncontrolled bleeding, acute renal failure and even death.
Following his recommendations, male circumcisions have been available at Wexford General Hospital for boys over two years of age.
They must be referred by a GP or public health nurse.
