Age of consent will not be lowered to roll out free contraception to teens
Health Minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill published the 10-year National Sexual Health Strategy on Wednesday.
It noted that in 2024, there were 20,626 STIs were notified in Ireland to the national Computerised Infectious Disease Reporting (CIDR) system.
This was down on the 2022 and 2023 figures, which jumped substantially following the lifting of public health restrictions.
Heterosexuals accounted for 50 per cent of first-time HIV diagnoses in 2023, with the report expressing concern about late diagnoses, particularly in straight men.
The plan commits to expanding capacity for STI testing, including at-home testing, and to build the capacity to meet demand for HIV prevention and treatment.
It also vows to improve access to vaccines that support sexual health, such as the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccine, Hepatitis A and B vaccines.
The plan also vows to expand eligibility for free contraception, adding additional age cohorts until all women aged 17-55 are eligible.
Currently women aged between 17 and 35 can get their contraceptive, such as the pill or implant, medical appointment and prescription free.
Former Health minister Stephen Donnelly previously sought to have free contraception for women aged 16.
The plan noted that 'some of those aged under 17 may need access to prescription contraception for treatment of menstrual disorders as well as for contraceptive purposes'. At 16, children have reached the age of medical consent but not the age of consent for sex.
It stated: 'Recommendations suggest that the legal frameworks underpinning consent for under 18s under civil law should be strengthened and the issues raised may be wider than that of access to contraception alone.'
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However, Minister Carroll MacNeill said she cannot envisage the age of consent for sexual activity being lowered.
She said: 'Young people need to be protected from a public health perspective, so I think we need to reflect.
'I would take a public health approach to that first and foremost, but I recognise that those ages are there for very important reasons from the Department of Justice perspective.
'Just because we have a broad health approach to supporting and protecting young girls, which is necessary, I still think the justice approach about making sure that there is an age of consent that's protected to protect vulnerable girls, we have those ages for very good reasons around, predatory behaviour.
'I don't believe that that will be reopened, but nevertheless, I see a broad public health benefit in supporting girls of all ages in relation to the things that they need.'
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