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

The amendments call for a report to be compiled in respect of these measures. I would find it difficult to support a Bill that criminalises the purchase of sex but does not accompany it with any of the other measures that are necessary to assist people to get out of sex work or situations where they are being coerced, forced or compelled and have little choice due to a range of factors. The amendment is broad-ranging because there is a broad range of reasons why women end up in sex work and prostitution.

What is being done here is really ham-fisted. Other countries have introduced the criminalisation of the purchase of sex but they have accompanied it with social measures. They are linked. By contrast, the Tánaiste is introducing the criminalisation of the purchase of sex but she is not accompanying it with any of those things. It strikes me that this country has a bad record of dealing with women, women in poverty and this issue in particular. It will amount to a continuation of that record if the Tánaiste does not include measures to assist people to exit prostitution.