The Health Minister says he believes that discussions about 'threesomes' on a State-funded website is not an appropriate use of that cash. James Reilly was speaking as Spunout.ie came under fire from a number of government TDs over an article on its site promoting the pros and cons of this type of sexual encounter.

Fine Gael TD Michelle Mulherin has called on the Minister for Health to answer questions on the role of the youth website.

Deputy Mulherin has criticised the site for offering advice to teenagers on threesomes. She says the article is "gimmicky" and it suggests that bringing in a third person who you have no feelings for will "spice up" a sexual relationship.

She says the page is 'regressive' and that the team behind SpunOut should be made to appear before an Oireachtas Committee.

"Reliable & responsible information"

But the website has defended its advice. It says research from 2006 shows the average age at which a young person has sex for the first time is 17 (both male and female). and that "education needs to begin earlier than the age of first sex and it is widely accepted that sexual education in Irish schools is both of poor quality and inconsistent".

They add that "SpunOut.ie exists to provide balanced, reliable and responsible information for 16 to 25 year olds only. The age of consent in Northern Ireland is 16, SpunOut.ie is an all-island charity".

However Minister Reilly says the HSE are looking into the situation.