Students today called for a new public awareness campaign about the risks of HIV and Aids following what they said was a surge of sexual risk-taking by gay men.
The Union of Students in Ireland said memories of past warnings were fading and it had been shown almost 50 per cent of all gay men admit to having unprotected sex.
The statistic was disclosed at the fourth annual All-Ireland Gay Health Forum on Thursday. USI gay and lesbian spokesman Steven Conlon said the survey had been conducted in 2003 and 2004.
But he said: "Sadly the signs seem to be that sexual risk-taking will continue in the absence of more vigorous education and outreach efforts, and regular new media campaigns to sustain public awareness about Aids and other sexually transmitted infections."
The union , he said, believed that among gay men, college students and teenagers may be particularly at risk from contracting STIs partly due to a "creeping complacency" among those too young to remember past campaigns urging safe sex , including consistent use of condoms.
The USI urged anyone who had had unprotected sex with a partner whose HIV status they are unsure of to have an HIV test as soon as possible.
PA