Clare Daly (Dublin Fingal, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The reason we concentrated on those people who engage in sexual activity for the exchange of money on a consensual basis rather than those who were coerced into it is that that is the legislation we are dealing with here today. Substantial bodies of legislation already exist to deal with people who are coerced or trafficked into this activity. The Minister, I or other people may not like the fact that some people choose to engage in that activity or the reality that their choice is restricted by their economic circumstances does not make it a less valid choice. It is a choice people will be making today, tomorrow and the day after that.

We are putting forward this legislation against the backdrop of the week when the report on consistent poverty levels in Ireland was produced, which showed that the children of lone parents are three times more likely to be in consistent poverty than children who were not the children of lone parents. Deputy Collins highlighted earlier the statistics on the number of low paid workers in the State. Economic circumstances are the reasons people end up in prostitution because of the nature of work that is available and their status. It is laughable to say that giving money to organisations that will tell people to exit the industry will solve that problem. It will not solve the problem, and the current economic circumstances will mean that more people will be involved in prostitution.

We urgently need a review of this for the safety and welfare of the people involved. I would like the Minister to give an indication that she would be prepared to look at it again perhaps in two years rather than three. The justice committee might work on that and put it in that direction also because that will be critically important into the future.

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