The ISPCC says the age of consent should stay at 17 and not be lowered.
The charity's comments come as the Justice Minister considers rowing back on the proposed changes put forward by her predecessor Alan Shatter.
Frances Fitzgerald believes lowering the age of consent to 16 could increase the trafficking of teenage prostitutes.
Caroline O' Sullivan, Director of Services with the ISPCC, says young people need to emotionally mature enough before having sex
