The Union of Students in Ireland is to distribute packs containing condoms and contraception information to some 45,000 students in college campuses across the country.

The USI says the aim is to encourage students to have safer sex and make informed decisions on contraception.

“There has been a dramatic rise in the numbers of sexually transmitted infections reported in Ireland. By running this campaign, USI want to encourage students to talk about their sexual health,” USI welfare officer Ciarán Fitzpatrick said.

The campaign, however, ignores studies carried out in the UK which show that there is no evidence that promoting contraception either lowers levels of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) or the level of unplanned pregnancy.

Dr David Paton, Professor of Economics at the University of Nottingham, has conducted a number of studies showing that rates of STIs and pregnancy have increased among teenagers even as the UK Government launched campaigns promoting increased usage of contraception.

USI’s campaign is called the SHAG (Sexual Health Awareness & Guidance) campaign, for which the slogan is “whoever you like, love safer sex”.