Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The committee received 800 submissions.

In deciding to put forward these provisions I have considered all sides of the debate. I have considered the experience of those states which have introduced similar measures and those states which have addressed prostitution in a different way. First, let me be clear as to what these provisions do. It will be an offence for a person to pay, offer or promise to pay, a person for the purpose of engaging in sexual activity with a prostitute. The person providing the sexual service, the prostitute, will not be subject to an offence. The purpose of introducing these provisions is primarily to target the trafficking and sexual exploitation of persons through prostitution. Both the Council of Europe and the European Parliament have recognised the effectiveness of the criminalisation of the purchase of sexual services as a tool in the fight against human trafficking.