Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The online sexual exploitation and sexual abuse of children is one of the most serious issues that any country can face. I am sure the Minister will appreciate that we cannot deal with on our own. It is an international problem and needs to be dealt with through international co-operation. That was the reason why the Council of Europe came up with these two conventions. The Budapest convention, dealing with cybercrime, was signed by Ireland in 2001 and the Lanzarote convention, which deals with the protection of children against sexual exploitation and sexual abuse, was signed in 2007. I acknowledge that steps have been taken by the Oireachtas and the Government to put in place legislation, which will achieve the requirements of part of those conventions. However, they still have not been ratified. It should not come as a surprise to the Minister because I have raised it with him previously, and Dr. Geoffrey Shannon, the child rapporteur, mentioned in his annual report as far back as 2014 that these conventions had not been ratified. I still have not received an answer as to when they will be ratified.

See this speech in context