Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)

This should be put in context, and the context is that the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform is working on a major bill, the Criminal Justice (Trafficking in Persons and Sexual Offences) Bill, which will deal with the question of grooming in a comprehensive way. The UK Sexual Offences Act 2003 is extremely far-reaching legislation. I would not be immediately attracted to some of its provisions which is why I took what Deputy Jim O'Keeffe tendered as a balance. It had an adjustment of the child pornography Act of 1998 to amplify the protection for children and a particular offence of travelling having groomed. Those are the two offences he chose, one of which is based substantially on section 15 of the UK Act.

Section 14 of the UK Act is worrisome.

See this speech in context