Colleges urgently need more sexual health services, claims union

MORE services are urgently needed in colleges to offer information and testing in relation to sexual health, student leaders claimed yesterday.

Launching its annual sexual health awareness (SHAG) week in Dublin, the Union of Students in Ireland (USI) welcomed the recent reduction in the VAT rate charged on condoms as a small measure towards improving young people’s ability to make sensible decisions about their sexual activity. But union president Shane Kelly said the reduction to 13.5% could be further reduced to just 5%, as is allowed under EU law.

“We would hate to think that any downturn in the economy or lack of money would make it difficult for young people to make sensible decisions about their sexual health, like buying condoms,” he said.