Giving young people free contraception at 16 ‘reflects the reality’ that many are sexually active at that age, Jonathan Healy has said. 

Currently, only those aged 17 to 35 can apply to the Free Contraception Scheme but the Department of Health is considering lowering that age to 16. 

On Newstalk Breakfast, Jonathan Healy described it as a “moral quandary”. 

“The age of consent for sex in this country is 17 but - let’s face it - we would be foolish to think that 16-years-olds were not sexually active in a real way,” he said. 

“It reflects reality.” 

Packs of Durex condoms as the brand makers have said that condom sales are down as lockdown limits sex lives in the UK and across the world. Picture date: Thursday April 30, 2020.

Despite this, Jonathan said he understood why people would find it odd that 16-year-olds could get free contraception and yet the State is also considering restrictions on their use of social media. 

“Then you have the conflict of, ‘Okay, we acknowledge that they’re having sex but at the same time, we want to put restrictions on what they see and how they use their Instagram,’” he said.  

“How do you balance protecting a 16-year-old? Are they a child or are they an adult?” 

Jonathan added that Ireland has a history of “ignoring reality” when it comes to people’s personal lives. 

“That’s why we had so many unplanned pregnancies which were treated appallingly and resulted in things like Mother and Baby Homes,” he said. 

“How do we then not overcorrect the system? It’s hard.” 

Ages of adulthood

Co-presenter Shane Coleman admitted that saying a teenager can have sex but not an unrestricted Instagram account is a “contradiction”. 

“I can see where the Department of Health is coming from and saying, ‘The age of consent in Ireland is 17’,” he said. 

“The counter argument is that abortion services are provided - it’s a dilemma and I don’t have the answer.”

Main image: Jonathan Healy in the Newstalk studio. Image: Newstalk