Some TDs and Senators were temporarily hoodwinked at an Oireachtas committee meeting yesterday when a man who was telling them about his experience of living with HIV/Aids revealed himself to be an actor, writes Alison Healy
"David MacDonald" introduced himself to the Joint Committee on Education and Science as a man who had contracted HIV from his former girlfriend when they had unprotected sex.
He travels the State, giving presentations to second-level students and Youth Reach centres on his experience.
As he addressed the committee, he appeared nervous and constantly wiped his eye, explaining that the virus had clouded his eyesight and also caused him to temporarily lose the power in his legs.
After talking the committee through the 80-minute presentation he gives to students, he then surprised the politicians by changing accent, dropping his nervous tics and revealing that he was really Joe McGrath, a Canadian actor.
Fine Gael deputy Damien English was in on the secret already, as he had organised the visit after hearing about one of Mr McGrath's presentations to a group of students in Co Meath.
Mr McGrath said he accepted that his approach was controversial, but said it grabbed the attention of every student.
He was inspired to do the one-man show by one of his teachers who gave a talk to his school while in the latter stages of HIV/Aids. The teacher died four months later but Mr McGrath still remembered the impact of the talk after more than 14 years.
Mr McGrath said students were not interested in being lectured and given handouts, which they inevitably threw in the bin.
He began his schools programme in 2005 and has now visited 120 secondary schools and 15 Youth Reach centres. More than 9,000 students have seen his performance, which also touches on intravenous drug use.
Sinn Féin deputy Seán Crowe said he could identify with the fear surrounding HIV/Aids as he had been attacked with a needle some years ago. The man who attacked him had Aids and subsequently died.
He said there was a "crazy attitude" in some schools that talking about sex encouraged students to have sex, or that talking about suicide encouraged suicide.
Jan O'Sullivan of the Labour Party asked if a specific fund should be provided to schools to allow them to hire speakers such as Mr McGrath.
The actor said there was a need for more openness and honesty in schools when addressing issues such as HIV/Aids. "Some people don't want to see the reality."
He accepted that his presentation wasn't totally honest, as he was pretending to be someone else, but said this was for a greater purpose.
Fine Gael Senator Ulick Burke said there was a reluctance by some schools to tackle these "real life" issues and presentations such as Mr McGrath's could be very effective.