The Department of Health and Children is failing to promote the importance of responsible sex, the Irish Family Planning Association (IFPA) said today.
Christmas sees a sharp increase in the number of women seeking emergency contraception over this time, the IFPA chief executive, Ms Catherine Heaney said.
"Already this festive season, we have noticed an increase in demand for emergency contraception. Last weekend demand for emergency contraception at our clinics rose by over 25 per cent on a normal weekend," she added.
Levels of sexually transmitted infections increased by almost 26.8 per cent to 8,869 cases in 2002 compared with the previous year.
Ms Heaney said it was time the Minister for Health and his Department took more responsibility for promoting responsible sexual behaviour and warning of the risks of casual, unprotected sex.
"Sexual health promotion is virtually absent from national politics yet levels of sexually transmitted infections continues to soar and crisis pregnancies are increasing among young women and teenagers," Ms Heaney said.
To encourage condom usage the IFPA urged the State to initiate a purchasing scheme to reduce the price of condoms and to distribute free condoms at taxi ranks over the Christmas period and at major sporting and musical events throughout the year.
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