Don’t let children think sex is free of consequence

Friday, September 30, 2011

THE Irish Family Planning Association would like children under the age of 16 to have greater access to contraceptives, arguing that "ambiguous" laws in this area (given that the age of consent in Ireland is 17) are putting young people at risk of unplanned pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections, they claim.

They also appear to be looking for the age of consent in Ireland to be lowered from the current age of 17.

I believe that this is a profoundly flawed approach which will only lead to more children engaging in unwise and premature sexual activity. The law should reflect the bare-minimum standard that we in Ireland want our children to aspire to.

In this case, not having sex until they are mature enough to know what they are doing and are ready to deal with the consequences as they arise. The argument is put forward that children will be protected from the consequences of sex, if only unfettered access to contraceptives was provided to them.

The opposite is the case: contraceptives encourage promiscuity, thereby increasing the risk of unwanted pregnancy and sexually transmitted disease, by promoting a false sense of security.

The last thing that we need to be doing, is to give our children a false sense of security by allowing them to think that sex can be consequence-free, both physically and emotionally. We owe our children more than that.

John B Reid
Knapton Road
Monkstown
Co Dublin

This appeared in the printed version of the Irish Examiner Friday, September 30, 2011