Seanad debates

Friday, 11 December 2015

Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Bill 2015: Committee Stage

 

10:00 am

Photo of Paschal MooneyPaschal Mooney (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I will be brief in the context of the Government's proposals. I am at a loss to understand why this is happening. I appreciate the Minister of State has outlined that this is standard across various pieces of legislation. However, I refer to what has been happening with our nearest neighbour, the UK, with some very high profile cases relating to child pornography and operation yew tree. During the 1970s Gary Glitter was an icon to children and his hit records at the time conveyed that. Under his real name, Mr. Paul Gadd he was as a paedophile jailed in the UK and in the Far East. Several other high profile celebrities, when they went before the courts and were convicted of child pornography would have had, as Senator Walsh has said, massive financial resources and would have easily met a fine no matter how high. Mr. Rolf Harris was a case in point and he was jailed. This amendment is sending the wrong message. It is saying that these people have a possibility of getting off with a fine, no matter how heinous the crime.

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