More than one in ten secondary schools have no sex education programme for first and second year students, according to a survey published by Minister for Education and Science Mary Hanafin today.
The Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) programme was introduced in 1995 and aims to help young people to develop a healthy attitude towards their own sexuality and relationships.
However, 11 per cent of schools do not teach RSE in first and second years, increasing to 20 per cent in third year, 30 per cent in the first year of the Leaving Certificate cycle and 33 per cent by the final year.
The report says "a heavy emphasis on the combined pressure of other (examination) subjects, an overcrowded curriculum and consequent constraints on time [are] key barriers to RSE implementation.
"When combined with teacher discomfort with the subject matter of relationships and sexuality education, RSE may be easily sidelined".
Of the schools surveyed for the report 82 per cent indicated that an overcrowded curriculum was an important factor in preventing the implementation of full RSE programme.
A total of 71 per cent of schools said the need to complete so many courses in so many subjects and teacher discomfort with RSE were important factors, and 69 per cent cited the pressure of examination work.
Ms Hanafin said the results showed there is "clearly widespread support" from teachers, parents and health professionals for the RSE programme.
"Participation in schools has increased since RSE was introduced with the survey showing 90 per cent of schools are implementing it in some form.
Mary Hanafin
"There are challenges remaining, and my focus in the immediate future is to ensure all schools deliver the RSE programme and promote consistency in how content is addressed," she said.
Katharine Bulbulia, chairwoman of the Crisis Pregnancy Agency, said young people consistently report that they are not receiving comprehensive sex education at school.
"They go to their friends and the media to find out about sex and relationships. Young people need information on how to deal with sexual feelings and emotions.
"This need is now becoming particularly urgent as the average age of first sexual intercourse is decreasing. In recent research, 17 was the average age of first sex among 18-25-year-olds," she said.
In response to the findings of the report, the Crisis Pregnancy Agency and the Department of Education have begun work on the development of new teaching resources for the RSE programme.
The Department of Education and Science will send copies of the report to all post-primary schools in the coming weeks.
Fine Gael education spokeswoman Olwyn Enright said the figures on RES programmes were "unacceptable".
"As a society we are failing our young people by being squeamish about this aspect of their education," she added. Ms Enright said all teenagers at school level need comprehensive sex education.
"They need to be aware of how their bodies work, so that they can understand the risk of pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections associated with unsafe sexual activities."