Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

-----regardless of the issue. In terms of the Government's actions to date, I draw the Deputy's attention to the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 2017. It is legislation introduced by the Government that was enacted on 22 February this year. It enhances and updates laws to combat sexual exploitation and the sexual abuse of children, including new offences related to child sexual grooming and strengthened defences relating to child pornography. It also criminalises the purchase of sexual services, introduces new provisions regarding the giving of evidence by victims in sexual offence trials and introduces a new offence dealing with public indecency. Other provisions include maintaining the age of consent to sexual activity at 17 years for a new proximity of age defence as well as a statutory statement of the law with regard to consent to sexual acts. That is the legislative progress the Government has made this year alone.

As I mentioned, funding for domestic and sexual violence organisations in the round was increased by €1.5 million this year and in addition to that I have asked the Minister for Justice and Equality, the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs and the Minister for Health to consider the issue Deputy Coppinger raised on up-to-date statistics on sexual violence. That issue will be discussed at a meeting of the senior officials' group today.

See this speech in context