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

I still do not accept the fact that a sex worker should be impoverished. I understood the amount specified in the Proceeds of Crime Act is €5,000 but I am subject to correction if it is €1,000 . Either way, whether it is €1,000 or €5,000, if a woman is to be only left with that basic amount of assets then she will be impoverished. Surely there is some way in which the CAB could distinguish between money that a pimp was asking a prostitute to hide as opposed to the basic money she earned from her sex work. I am not concerned about whether it is €5,000 or €1,000, but I am concerned we could end up basing having the CAB seize most of the income and assets of a sex worker. I do not know whether it should be in this legislation or whether there should be a way of amending the Proceeds of Crime Acts but either way, there is a danger that we are exposing women to losing their basic assets. I am not speaking about thousands or millions that might have been earned in an illegal way. I am just talking about the woman herself and the income that would have actually come to her. If there is any way the Minister can deal with it then I ask her to look at it.

I will not comment further on the other issues. It has been made fairly clear and I can understand the way in which people have read this, but it is clear enough because it is under section 7A(1) that it deals with the purchaser as opposed to the sex worker.

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