Health authorities will no longer recommend a book in a sex education resource for Junior cycle students, aged 12-15, after complaints about its very graphic sexual content.

One of the complainants to the HSE, Sarah Holmes, a mother of three from Co Wicklow, said the inclusion of the book as “recommended reading” was a “depressing lapse of judgment”.

“There is all this defence of the book on the grounds of inclusivity, but a very low standard is being set for gay children, in particular,” she said. “I think we need proper sex education for children of all orientations: what’s dangerous, what should you be careful of. It certainly shouldn’t be saying, ‘go on a sex app’ or ‘check them out in a bar beforehand’. Yet, this pornified culture is being pushed on children.”