Paschal Donohoe (Fine Gael)

I support the amendment. The constituency in which I live is predominantly located in the inner city. Too many parts of it continue to have severe problems with the practice of prostitution. I have never seen such misery as that experienced by those, mostly comprising women, who are involved in that trade.

There is an ambivalence in our law and society regarding the types of behaviour we believe to be acceptable. Senator Mullen referred to the law as playing an educational role. It also plays, as the Senator will agree, a much stronger role. The law sends out a signal regarding the types of behaviour society believes to be acceptable and not to be. It also indicates our willingness to prosecute in respect of those types of behaviour we are not prepared to allow. There is an ambivalence in existing law in that regard.

I attended a meeting of a community policing forum in the constituency in which I live last week. A number of gardaí present referred to the difficulty they experience in successfully prosecuting people who have procured the services of prostitutes. For too long a glamour has attached to the trade of prostitution. There are people who presume that those who enter this trade do so with some degree of choice. Nothing could be further from the truth.

We must support the amendment and send out a clear signal regarding two matters. First, the existing legislation is inadequate and an amendment of this nature is required to fix it. Second, we must make it clear that those who procure the services of prostitutes have no place in our society and the law should reflect this. I support the comments made by other Senators in respect of this matter.