Dr. Teresa Whitaker:

They are only criminalised if they solicit, importune or run a brothel. Individuals are not criminalised. Now, the intention is to criminalise a group of Irish men who buy sexual services. What we are saying is that will have negative consequences for the women who are selling sex. I would have thought that we should all be very concerned about women who sell sex, and also men who sell sex, that they should be safe and use protection. The problem with the law is that it will reduce harm reduction services.