Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I am sorry, it is €1,000. The point we wish to make is that this is an unintended consequence of the legislation and we do not believe the sex worker should have his or her home or anything else seized by the Criminal Assets Bureau.

On the more general issue, I also have a problem with amendment No. 10 because I would be very concerned if we were to remove protections from sex workers, which appears to be the result of taking out that entire page of the Bill. I know that the proposers of the amendment will have another opportunity to explain the position to us.

We are also generally in support of the intention of the legislation and of the Turn Off The Red Light campaign. The Immigrant Council of Ireland and Ruhama have told us stories about women who in many cases are coerced into being sex workers. There is a great deal of exploitation and for many sex workers it is not a free choice but they are in the industry for a variety of reasons that are not connected to freely choosing to be a sex worker. I accept some sex workers are in a position to make a free and unencumbered choice that is not exploitative. However, I contend a large number of sex workers are exploited and for that reason we have given our support to the Turn Off The Red Light campaign. Clearly, there are different views on that major element of the legislation but we do support the Government in this regard.

I urge the Minister to consider accepting the Labour Party amendment. I do not think it would cause any difficulty for the intention of the legislation but what it does do is protect the sex worker from having his or her assets seized by the Criminal Assets Bureau.

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