Teenagers want the law on the age of sexual consent to be changed to allow young people engage in consensual sex as long as there is not more than a two-year age gap between the partners, a new report indicates.
It is among a number of recommendations contained in a report on the outcome of Government consultations with more than 200 teenagers regarding their views on the age of consent for sexual activity.
It is the first time the views of teenagers have been sought in a national debate regarding future legislation.
The "two-year gap" proposal is aimed at avoiding the criminalisation of young people who engage in consensual sex, while helping to protect younger children from inappropriate sexual activity.
A number of other key recommendations emerged from the consultation with 210 teenagers aged between 15 and 18 in five locations around the country. They include:
r Sex education to be made mandatory in schools and delivered by specialists instead of staff teachers
r Equality between boys and girls under the law for engaging in sexual activity
r Provision of free or cheap contraception to young people
r More information to be made available regarding sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and accessible services for young people with such infections
r More youth services that incorporate health, such as The Gaf youth cafe in Galway.
Minister for Children Brian Lenihan, who commissioned the research, welcomed the recommendations which he said he would raise with his Cabinet colleagues.
In relation to the "two-year gap" proposal - which would allow, for example, an 18-year-old male to have sex with a 16-year-old female without being criminalised - the Minister sounded a note of caution.
"The problem with this proposal is that where there is a dispute between persons within the two-year age band about the facts, consent becomes an issue in such proceedings," Mr Lenihan said.
On the issue of sex education, the Minister pointed out that there was a mandatory sex education programme in place which all schools were expected to teach. However, he said if parents were unhappy with the quality of sex education available in their children's schools, they should talk to the principals and boards of management.
Mr Lenihan noted that many teenagers referred to youth cafes as a place where information relating to sex and sexual activity could be made available.
"It is clear to me that these venues could help us fill in the information gaps that teenagers have about a whole range of issues, including sex," he said.
The consultation process was conducted in conjunction with the National Youth Council of Ireland, Foróige and Youth Work Ireland. Pavee Point also consulted with a cross-section of Traveller teenagers.
The report was presented to the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Child Protection, which is reviewing the age of consent and other issues.
Youth Work Ireland yesterday called on the Minister and the Oireachtas committee to give serious consideration to the views of young people in making changes in this area.
Michael McLoughlin of Youth Work Ireland said it had been "a very worthwhile process" and showed the value of asking young people for their views.