Face the facts: sexually transmitted diseases are transmitted by sex

By Ronan Mullen TODAY’S booby prize for the most pointless media appearance goes to Catherine Heaney, chief executive of the Irish Family Planning Association.

Heaney appeared on RTÉ1's This Week to comment on recent surveys of young people in the Cork area which suggest 'high levels of ignorance' and a 'willingness to engage in unprotected intercourse'.

Her response was to blame the Government (doesn't everybody, these days?) for not taking responsibility. Asked, helpfully, by RTÉ's Gerald Barry for 'three simple things' which the Government should now do, she rhymed off a little list a sexual health strategy, programmes to educate young people about sexuality, and free contraception.