The national sexual health policy seems destined for sterility after it was withdrawn from the 2010 Budget, snuffing the Social Policy Ministry's plans to deliver it.

The third and latest version of the policy, finalised earlier this year, "had to be included" in this year's Budget and Minister John Dalli has no idea why plans changed.

Asked if there were any real intentions to inject life into this policy, which has been in gestation since 1999, Mr Dalli said: "Don't ask me. I did what I had to do".

When contacted, a Finance Ministry spokesman said every ministry presented its shopping list before the Budget but it was impossible to include everything.

"It is all a matter of choices and priorities and I stress that in no way am I saying the national sexual health policy is not a priority. Most of the ministries' proposals were taken on board but it's impossible to implement each one," the spokesman said.

Philip Carabot, Genitourinary Clinic consultant, had also been "given to understand" that the policy would be included in the Budget, so this was the latest setback.

"I'm very disappointed. I was hoping after 10 years something would finally happen," he said, preferring not to comment further.

Meanwhile, asked what the future held for this controversial policy, Mr Dalli said: "I read the final Budget the same way you did last night (Monday) and now I'm going to go through it to see if we can reapportion funds within our ministry".

However, finding the money would not be easy because if the policy's comprehensive action plan was executed as proposed, it would require an injection of "hundreds of thousands of euros" if it were to be effective, sources said.

In this present economic climate, the policy failed to make it on the list of the government's concerns and when asked if it remained a priority, Mr Dalli snapped back: "It is a priority, as are the waiting lists; the medicines that people will die without... For some it may be a bigger priority than others. For the minister the priorities are very different".

He added: "You write a lot of stuff in the newspaper because you are pushing your agenda or someone else's. Quote me on this! You have to be responsible because the agenda of the country is different than the agenda of individuals".