Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Anti-Austerity Alliance) | Oireachtas source

My amendment reads as follows:

In page 18, to delete lines 27 to 30 and subtitute the following: “(d) in section 9, by the substitution of the following subparagraphs for subparagraphs (i) and (ii):

“(i) on summary conviction to a class A fine or imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months or both, or,

(ii) on conviction on indictment to a fine not exceeding €1,000,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 10 years or to both,”.”.

This amendment relates to the fine proposed in the Bill for those who organise prostitution. I am not referring to sex workers but to those who organise it. Section 9 of the 1993 Act reads:

A person who for gain-- (a) controls or directs the activities of a prostitute in respect of prostitution,

(b) organises prostitution by controlling or directing the activities of more than one prostitute for that purpose, or

(c) compels or coerces a person to be a prostitute...

As such, I am talking about pimps and traffickers. The current very small fine referred to in the Act is £1,000. It is a class D fine. I suggest it is these people who should be pursued, not individual women or vulnerable persons engaged in sex work. It should not be those who are compelled to work or who work in the sex industry but those who profiteer, coerce and direct trafficking. It is bizarre that the Tánaiste proposes to maintain a definition of "loitering" in the Bill, which just means the harassment of sex workers, while keeping the fines very low for those at the top. Therefore, we should remove the other things on which others and I have amendments and which simply penalise those engaged in sex work. It is a paltry fine. We propose that it be raised in order that a convicted person would lose the profits they had gained from compelling people to engage in or organising prostitution. It is about going after the people at the top rather than those on the ground.