A new report has suggested that third-level institutions provide sexual consent classes or risk losing State funding.

The Government-commissioned report has also proposed that colleges should record and report incidents of sexual harassment, assault and rape on campuses - rather than leaving it to the gardai.

According to the Irish Times, a number of other recommendations have been made, with each college required to report on whether they're implementing them to the Higher Education Authority every year.

“Harassment and assault are experiences too common for many of our third-level students,” said Mary Mitchell O'Connor the Minister of State for Higher Education, who commissioned the report.

“I want to ensure that young adults are supported to achieve positive sexual health. We all have a duty of care to our students, to protect them from sexual harassment, assault and safety from the fear and threat of it,” she added.

Earlier this month, the Irish Government formally ratified the Istanbul Convention, which works towards preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence.

“There is an epidemic of violence against women, it needs to stop,” Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said earlier this month.

“We know the names of many of the women who have had violence perpetrated against them and the ratification of the Istanbul Convention today is a very important part of that.”