Peadar Tóibín, it appears, harbours concerns that the government could be promoting sexual activities amongst 16-year-olds. A child may be subjected to increased pressure from peers if the state gives the green light to sexual activities for minors, he opined recently.
Tóibín weighed in on what you may consider (assuming a minimal understanding of Ireland’s long-standing fixation with female sexuality) as a fairly non-contentious proposal to broaden the government’s free contraceptive program for women to include 16-year-olds. He put forward the idea that such action would represent a “distinct breach concerning the issue of consent” by the government and could potentially “trigger pressure down the age scale regarding sexual activities during early adolescence”.
Aontú, the party represented by Tóibín, seems uneasy, viewing this as government-endorsed behavioural prompting – akin to a modern spin on SSIA’s or Eircom shares, but in this nature involving contraceptive pills, patches or Mirena coils for 16-year-olds. “This is rather alarming. It could, effectively, signal government acceptance for underage sexual acts”, it announced on social media.
Despite some of the responses being rather dramatic, this program has been one of the key positive steps taken for women by the government in recent times – especially impressive given it was achieved without much publicity. (Almost as if the government didn’t have full support.)
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Hormonal contraception is not only extremely safe and commonly utilised, but also beneficial for the treatment of serious hormonal disorders such as endometriosis, a condition that afflicts one in ten females. From my personal experience, I have used contraceptive pills at several points in my life for preventing unwanted pregnancies, reducing polycystic ovary symptoms, and enhancing my skin’s health. Although hormonal contraception’s effectiveness varies across different individuals and it has a few disadvantages, it is indeed a modern wonder for those whom it benefits.
In Ireland, according to Donnelly’s statement last week, 50% of females between 17 and 25 years old are currently using the free contraceptive scheme. This programme is accessible to all women aged 35 and below, and for women aged up to 44, provided they have a medical card. The main resistance to including 16-year-olds centres on the fact that, though the legal age for medical consent is 16, the age of sexual consent is generally 17. This creates a complex situation for physicians and patients, contributing to the ambiguity that often surrounds women’s healthcare in the country. A 2011 Law Reform Commission report advised that the law should clarify that individuals aged 16 have complete autonomy to agree to surgeries, mental health care, and contraception, but the recommendations were not implemented.
On the other end, Tóibín and Chief Iman Shaykh Dr Umar Al-Qadri raised concerns that this could promote underage sexual activity. However, it is reasonable to assume that teenage individuals should have services for sexual health accessible prior to them becoming sexually active. Moreover, generall,y teenage sexual activity happens beyond the control of the state or parental permission.
Moreover, It’s worth noting that it’s highly unlikely that 16-year-olds would be pressured into having sex just because the State allows them to consult with their GP about contraceptive measures like the IUD, and provides them free of charge. Based on my understanding of teenagers’ behaviour, the State recommending something (not the case here, to be clear) usually provokes the reverse reaction.
The unspoken worry here appears to be that by providing 16-year-olds with complimentary contraceptives, we might have to reconsider the legal age for sexual consent. However, allowing adolescents to avail sexual health services before they are sexually active is logical. Teenage sexual activity often occurs outside of both state and parental consent.
Trying to prevent people from having sex by limiting the availability of contraception is a strategy we have previously attempted, which clearly did not work out well. Our population tripling between 1935 and 1993, when condoms became freely available, is evidence that this approach did not succeed. The rate of teenage fertility was at its highest point in 1980 and has been on a decline ever since.
Health Minister Stephen Donnelly adds another perspective with his indisputable reasoning: If a 16-year-old girl today can inform her GP that she is pregnant and wishes to use the termination services, which would be provided understandably, then she should also have the right to ask her GP for free contraception.
Another point to consider is that historically, the state has acted as though only women were responsible for crisis pregnancies. Women who found themselves pregnant and not in a position to carry to term were shamed, denied terminations, institutionalised, impoverished and even had their babies forcibly taken from them. After 2019, in order to terminate the pregnancy, they were forced to travel to England or clandestinely order pills to use at home, praying they would not bleed out on their bathroom floors. The men who were equally responsible for these pregnancies faced minimal consequences.
The least the state can do right now to make amends to women is to offer free contraception. This should quickly be followed by providing free HRT (Hormone Replacement Therapy), breaking the age barrier for accessing hormonal medical treatment and considering the subsequent public health advantages such as reduction in dementia, osteoporosis and heart diseases for women on HRT.
Additionally, the free contraception scheme must be extended to condoms to protect against STDs and to emphasise that preventing unplanned pregnancies is a responsibility of men as well. This would be an acknowledgement, long overdue from the state.