Minister for Health Mary Harney yesterday stood by her comments that the morning-after pill and contraception should be made available to children as young as 11 in certain circumstances.
The Minister's comments drew criticism from a number of groups which said more emphasis should be placed on education and better parental support.
However, Ms Harney said she favoured a liberal regime in relation to the availability of contraception in order to prevent crisis pregnancies among teenagers.
She said she had not sought to spark a major debate on the issue, but had responded to a specific question from a nurse regarding the provision of the morning-after pill and contraception to young people.
"I was asked by one of the nurse counsellors who counsels in crisis pregnancy in the midlands that she had come across two 11-year-olds who engaged in sex who didn't have access to the morning-after pill and what did I think of that?" Ms Harney said.
"I responded that I was astonished that someone as young as 11 could have a sexual relationship. But clearly if they had it's preferable that emergency contraception be used rather than for a pregnancy to emerge."
She said she supported the Think Contraception campaign, organised partly by the Crisis Pregnancy Agency, to help avoid unwanted pregnancies in the first place. "I'm a strong supporter of it, and we need to promote it in schools and other places where young people associate.
"We need to promote the use of contraception instead of young people taking a chance and taking a risk, as many do, and thinking that it won't happen to them.
"I think we have to be realistic and practical. We have to promote the use of contraception for young people who are sexually active.
"It's far preferable that pregnancies are planned and thought about rather than unplanned or crisis pregnancies, with all the consequences that has for the individual and society."
Ms Harney stressed, however, that contraception should only be made available to under-16s in consultation with their parents.
"An 11-year-old is a minor, parents have to be involved, and there are huge ethical dilemmas and child-protection issues."
She added that she did not have plans to make the morning-after pill available on an over-the-counter basis.
The National Congress of the Catholic Secondary Parents' Association said it was shocking that children of 11 were sexually active. Its spokeswoman said the issue needed to be addressed with better parental support.
The National Parents' Council said sexual activity among 11-year-olds was a "child-protection issue", and sex education had to be taught in every school.
