Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)

Subsection (2) refers in paragraph (a) to a person who takes, detains or restricts the personal liberty of a child for the purpose of his or her sexual exploitation, in paragraph (b) to a person who uses a child for such a purpose, and in paragraph (c) to a person who organises or knowingly facilitates such taking, detaining, restricting or use. Such a person shall be guilty of an offence and liable on conviction on indictment to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 14 years. I am just making the point that this definition of sexual exploitation is restricted to certain activities which are criminalised under the section. It is not a general statement that anybody who exposes a child to observing sexual activity commits an offence. It is not that broad. That would amount, in effect, to turning on a blue movie in a room or something similar.

See this speech in context