Jim O'Keeffe (Cork South West, Fine Gael)

I accept the points raised by my colleague, Deputy Howlin. However, in drafting the Bill initially, I was cognisant of the difficulties of proving issues arising from the exchange of texts and Internet communication and the proofs which would be necessary to constitute an offence. I agree entirely that while the main issue is covered in the Fine Gael Bill now incorporated in the Minister's Bill, we need to return to other aspects of grooming. However, we covered the worst aspects of grooming which involve the initial creation of a sense of trust and security on the part of a vulnerable young person followed by travelling and meeting for the purpose of sexual exploitation. We covered the main criminal aspects of grooming. I am open to the proposal from Deputy Howlin that we must return to the other aspects of grooming and deal with them in far more detail in the future.

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