Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the fact that the Minister intends to bring forward a definition of "consent" on Report Stage. I appreciate that this issue is complex and complicated. Like Deputy Coppinger, I have tried to define "consent" and it is difficult. It is important that we acknowledge that a great deal of sexual activity in Ireland is accompanied by alcohol consumption and we have to be careful about how we draft a definition in order that we end up unintentionally criminalising many young people and others in respect of that. We should await the Minister's proposed amendment on Report Stage because it is such a difficult and complicated area. We can consider it then and there is no downside to us awaiting that.