Rónán Mullen (Independent)

My point is that the Senator was eloquent on Second Stage when she gave the job specification of a person in prostitution. I would have thought that would mean she would understand why now is the time. There are plenty of instances where in legislation dealing with one issue, provisions can be included which touch on a connected issue. As Senator O'Toole said, there is no doubt that the question of criminalising the users of persons in prostitution is connected to the issue of trafficking.

I will press the amendment as I do not think this is an issue that requires wider consultation. It would be as inappropriate to suggest this requires wider consultation as it would be to suggest the issue of the radical equality between people of different racial origin requires wider consultation. The mere notion that there are certain things about which one needs to consult does a disservice to the persons who are the victims of this vile area of human experience. I would be doing a disservice to the people doing great work, such as those in Ruhama, and I make no apologies for saying they are the people with the most sincere interest in the welfare of persons in prostitution. They accompany them every day. I sincerely doubt they would seek a measure which would endanger women in prostitution by driving the issue further underground, as has been suggested. To honour their great contribution to human dignity, I can do no less than press this amendment.