Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal North East, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Our committee has examined the Swedish model and met with representatives of the enforcement agencies, including the Swedish justice department. We had a long day of meetings during which we went through the issues in detail. It struck me that in the context of ongoing cuts to police resources, we cannot ignore the fact that we would have to put in place substantial resources if we went with the Swedish model. I presume most of the thousand people available are women. The point was made by the Swedish authorities that this cannot be driven underground and that the so-called commodity must be marketed. The difficulty is how we can be sure the Garda will examine the thousand Internet images and use surveillance on every one to ensure that users are prosecuted and that there will be necessary social service supports for women. There must be a clear assurance for those concerned, as women may be driven into positions in which they are more desperate and put themselves in more danger. Do the witnesses agree that significant resources must be put into policing to make this work?