Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)

Senator O'Toole asked about public places, which is defined in the introduction to the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 1993.

Senator Mullen thought I did not refer to the Swedish Government. I did of course. I referred to the Swedish Government before I referred to the commentary of the anthropologist. The Swedish Government estimates that the number of prostitutes in Sweden has dropped from 2,500 to 1,500 since 1999. I then referred to the comments of the social anthropologist who has studied Swedish prostitutes over a ten-year period. Comments were attributed to a former prostitute and the person who is Sweden's national rapporteur on trafficking.

I emphasised that the 1993 Act makes it an offence to solicit in public for the purpose of sex. That refers to the client, pimp or prostitute. This issue has necessitated a considerable debate on the area of prostitution. To make a major amendment to the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 1993 through the Criminal Law (Human Trafficking) Bill would involve a considerable consultation process and the Bill would need to go back to Government. We are anxious, as I am sure are both Houses, to have the Criminal Law (Human Trafficking) Bill implemented as soon as possible. Therefore I cannot accept the amendment.