A sexual-health awareness pack is to be distributed to students on college campuses across the State as part of a new campaign by the Union of Students in Ireland (USI).
The packs, which come in sealed A5 envelopes, contain a condom, a lubricant, a glove and an information leaflet. They will distributed throughout campuses between now and Christmas.
The USI says the growing problem of sexually transmitted infections in this country is one that needs to be highlighted "often and emphatically".
The student body claims that much of the sexual health information young people receive is centred on contraception rather than on sexually transmitted infections.
USI President Mr Colm Jordan said: "While this is obviously important in its own right, there is little emphasis on the risks from sexually transmitted infections. By informing students we are empowering them to take full responsibility for their sexual health".
According to the National Disease Surveillance Centre (NDSC), the number of notified cases of STDs increased by 298 per cent between 1989 and 2000. The number of cases of syphilis increased from six cases in 1999 to 46 cases in 2000.
There has also been asignificant rise in cases of HIV infections diagnosed among heterosexuals. In the first six months of this year, some 70 per cent of HIV infections diagnosed were among heterosexuals, most of them women.
