Political and church leaders have entered the debate on the legally acceptable age of consent.
This afternoon the Fine Gael leader, Enda Kenny, echoed the alarm expressed by the Catholic Church at proposals by an Oireachtas committee to reduce the age of consent for sex to 16.
Meanwhile, the Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, has said it is not a foregone conclusion that the age of consent will be reduced.
He was speaking in Drogheda after the Catholic bishops criticised the recommendation by the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Child Protection.
Mr Ahern said the Catholic hierarchy had been right to raise the issue of morality. He said the Cabinet had yet to consider the report and would be taking the bishops view into account.
The proposal to lower the age of consent was drawn up in the wake of constitutional problems over laws on statutory rape.
The bishops said they believe that the plan is wrong and they are amazed that politicians and public opinion makers had 'shied away from confronting the basic demands of morality'.
They said that the move sent out the wrong message to children and their parents, and that should be resisted by any mature society.
According to the bishops, children needed to be protected not only from irresponsible adults but also from themselves, until they reached the age of maturity, currently considered to be 18.
On RTÉ Radio's Morning Ireland, the Bishop of Killaloe, Dr Willie Walsh, appealed for a serious discussion on the issue.
