Many asylum-seekers cannot afford contraceptives on their weekly provision of 19.40, and many women, particularly younger women, are becoming unintentionally pregnant, according to two nongovernmental organisations.

As well as contraceptives, they say education programmes are also needed to teach groups about the dangers of sexually transmitted infections (STIs).

"We are going to write to the HSE asking that asylum-seekers be provided with free condoms. Recently, there has been quite an explosion of pregnancies, particularly with young women staying at Mosney, and we are extremely concerned, " said Rosanna Flynn of Residents Against Racism.

Anthony Wilkie, who works with young asylum-seekers in Dun Laoghaire in south Dublin, said asylum-seekers who entered the state as unaccompanied children were falling pregnant for various reasons.

"Young men and women are put together in mixed hostels and are not supervised adequately. The 19 a week they get does not stretch to condoms. They have no support, direction or family and they are often traumatised and have lost members of their family. A lot of them sleep together for emotional support."

Up to 250 children have entered the state as unaccompanied minors seeking asylum.

"They are a very vulnerable group. They do not have a lot of adults they can talk to.

That's why they become close as a group if they are housed together and why some are them are getting pregnant. There are also some cultural differences. One young man said to me, 'If I get sent home and haven't fathered any kids, I'll be looked down upon.' It should be the state's responsibility to educate these young people about sexual diseases and provide contraceptives but at the moment that standard of care is not in place, " said Wilkie.

The country's largest asylum centre is at Mosney, Co Meath. Because it is not within walking distance of a town, access to contraceptives is made even more difficult, said Flynn.

"It is difficult for any asylum seekers to afford condoms but in Mosney, there is nowhere for them to buy them so it's even harder, " she said.

The HSE was unavailable for comment.