The State's failure to provide proper sex education to young people has led to a worrying rise in the number of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among teenagers, a major family planning charity has claimed.
The Irish Family Planning Association (IFPA) made a submission to a UN committee, at a session where Irish Government officials outlined the State's progress in implementing the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.
In its submission, the IFPA highlighted what it said were "a series of breaches of young people's rights".
IFPA spokesperson Rosie Toner said: "Over 1000 teenagers were diagnosed with having an STI in 2004 though experts admit that this figure represents a gross underestimation of the prevalence of STIs among sexually active youth.
"Through our services and helpline we work with young people who are putting themselves at risk because they have not received the correct information, at the right time for them, on how to protect against unplanned pregnancy and/or STIs."
Ms Toner said that where people were aware of these issues and sought to take preventative measures, cost and transport barriers, as well as fears about being able to access services in confidence, worked against them.
The IFPA submission to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child called for the national provision of "youth friendly" health services, as well as routine gathering of statistics on sexual health.
It also said that in-depth national profiling of young people's experiences and attitudes around sexual activity is necessary in order to inform the policies required to respond to their needs.
"Ireland has an abysmal history in this area. However we welcome the current consultation with young people instigated by the Joint Committee on Child Protection which we hope marks the end of a reluctance to canvas and respect adolescents' views, in accordance with their age and maturity, in relation to sexual health education and services," Ms Toner said.