Children should be taught about ‘safer sex’ to help combat the rise of HIV and other STIs.

That’s according to Breda Gahan team leader for health and HIV at the Catholic Third World aid agency, Concern. She was speaking in response to the latest figures from the HSE showing a continued rise in new diagnosis of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases.

Ms Gahan, told the Irish Mirror: “As a nurse, I would go as far as to say that it’s too late to educate kids at secondary school level. Hormones are hopping at that stage. We should be informing kids in primary school in an age appropriate way. I think around the age of 10-12 years”.

She added: “Its alarming and concerning to see the increase of numbers. No sex can be totally safe – there’s always some risk, for example a condom breaking. But there needs to be education about safer sex.”

Ms Gahan said there’s an increase in STIs among young people because of complacency and, because people aren’t dying, there’s less fear. “Young people don’t really care if they get an STI because it’s treatable”. Yet, for those who have contracted HIV, she says, “the stigma has increased both in Ireland and globally.

Earlier this month, writing in the Irish Times, Ms Gahan had also made a call for sexual reproductive health education to be included in primary school curricula for 10 to 12-year-olds, both in Ireland and around the world. She said all young people should be “fully aware of the risks of not protecting themselves and that they take action to stop the spread of HIV and Aids.” She said world leaders and governments must demonstrate how committed they are to tackling the problem by strong leadership and adequate investment to end AIDS by 2030. She positively cited Irish Aid in its new Policy for International Development, A Better World, which she said, “is committed to launching a new initiative around sexual and reproductive health and rights, incorporating within their partnerships for health and HIV and Aids.”