Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I could be wrong but my research and notes and the research of my office state the independent reviewer was appointed in July 2020. That was a month after she had been appointed for the domestic homicide review. She was given both tasks, with one month between them. I would really like clarification on this.

The legislation was brought in to criminalise the purchase of sex and increase the penalties with the sole purpose of protecting women, but we have absolutely no data from the Government on whether this has happened. However, we do have very important research from Queen’s University Belfast, Amnesty International and the University of Limerick stating women are in greater danger than before. Amnesty International’s report of 2022 entitled We Live Within a Violent System shows the 2017 legislation has placed sex workers at a higher risk of abuse, and it goes on in this regard. This is the information available to me but I have nothing from the Government.

See this speech in context