Gay students are still confronted by aggressive homophobia from some of their colleagues when they "come out" in college, a student leader claims. Orla Richardson, the lesbian, gay and bisexual officer of USI, says that although "legislation has changed and things are getting better", college gay information stands remain a target for sneering and verbal abuse.

"While working on stands in colleges, I've met a lot of tolerant students, but I've also met with a lot of intolerance. I've heard things like `What are you doing here', `AIDS is going to get you lot anyway' and `It's unnatural'. Then there are the people who won't take flyers because they're afraid that the paper will pass on the homosexuality!"

She says such reactions have a more serious effect than making the work of gay activists difficult on a particular day.

"Homophobia and low self-esteem often act as a barrier to gay students' full participation in student life. It's not just a case of coming out - you need somewhere to come out to.

"Among people who are actively involved with students there has been an increase in awareness and a more positive attitude in recent years. However, students in general tend to be quite conservative and there's a certain level of homophobia. That's down to ignorance, lack of education and a lack of visibility of lesbian, gay and bisexual students. I would ask people going to college: how many gay students have they seen holding hands in the college bar?"

Richardson says it's particularly difficult for students to "come out" in some of the smaller ITs. "It's tough being a lesbian, gay or bisexual student in an IT environment where there is no support group. If you're a gay student somewhere like Dublin or Galway, not only do you have a bigger college to come out in, but you also have support structures that exist in the outside communities.

"In a rural environment, you don't have those structures outside college. You're talking about ITs that might have only 1,600 people in them. Coming out could imply everyone on campus knowing you're gay. Students in rural areas say to me when I deal with them on the phone `I feel so alone and so isolated. I feel like there's no one else.' "There are often difficulties in even having lesbian, gay and bisexual societies recognised by colleges so they can avail of society grants and facilities. Often, the rules for society recognition would require the names of members to be made public or a union officer to sit on the committee. That can be quite hard for a lesbian, gay and bisexual society, where confidentiality is one of the top priorities."

Richardson says gay students sometimes feel they can't access the college counsellor or speak frankly to academic advisers because they fear a negative reaction to their sexuality.

She feels college authorities should help create an environment where gay students feel they can at least avail of the full range of student services. "Colleges and students' unions have to make a public relations effort to say that they are open and inclusive and that it doesn't matter if you're gay. We don't want to be ghettoised; we want homosexuality to be on the health and education agendas."