Donnelly’s Underage Free Contraceptive Plan Sends Confusing Message on Consent – Tóibín
Fianna Fail Minister Stephen Donnelly is proposing that children at the age of 16 be given free contraceptives. This is an incredible development from a party and a government that seems to have lost any vestiges of cop on.
Its incredible that we have to explain to the Minister Stephen Donnolly that sexual activity for children is dangerous. Engaging in risky sexual behaviours can lead to HIV infection, sexually transmitted diseases, and unintended pregnancy among children. There is also significant emotional and mental health consequences to sexual activity among minors. Children are not emotionally ready for the impacts and possible consequences of sexual activity. Sexual activity among children can lead to strong feelings of regret, guilt and being exploited.
Children are incredibly susceptible to peer pressure. This peer pressure may well increase for a child, if the state, in a practical sense, is giving licence to under age sexual activity. The state providing contraceptives for a child means the is state is giving licence to the activity.
Society has started to take the issue of consent seriously. But shockingly now we have a Fianna Fáil minister saying on one hand that a young person under the age of 17 is not legally old enough to consent to a sexual act but the government will still provide that child with free contraceptives. This is dangerously confusing message for the state to provide to children.
There is no doubt that some children are engaging in sexual activity. Unfortunately because of easy access to hardcore pornography our children are being sexualised at a younger and younger age. The proliferation of smart phones among children is creating undue pressure on children throughout the state. There is a significant increase in the sexual abuse of children of children by children currently. As a society we are making victims and perpetrators of sexual abuse of our children. Its in this environment, in this reality, that Stephen Donnelly seems to wants children to navigate complex sexual relationships. The government’s response to the increased sexualisation of children has been incredibly weak. In light of the horrific Anna Krigel case Aontú tabled a Bill in the Dáil that sought to make it illegal for on line hard core pornography to given to children. We also tabled a Bill to prevent primary school children bringing smart phones into schools. The government has ignored these Bills. Will GPs or Pharmacist be trained on how to identify warning the signs of undue pressure, exploitation abuse or even human trafficking being experienced by children.
Finally, it is amazing that the government can find funding for very wealthy families for free contraceptives but can’t find funding for scoliosis operations or can’t find funding or staff for mental health services through CAHMS. You would forget that Stephen Donnelly is the Minister for Health at times. He is happier to virtue signal on these issues than to focus on the horrendous hospital waiting lists, ED overcrowding, ambulance wait times and the tens of thousands of adverse incidents that happen within hospitals.
