Lynn Ruane (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for his very detailed response. This is more an observation as we move forward when speaking of the monitoring committee. The space in respect of representation for sex workers in Ireland is dominated by organisations and NGOs in support of the Nordic model. This is more about putting down the marker to ensure those groups that are not often represented in those wider gender conversations, such as Sex Workers Alliance or anybody that is working in the sex industry, find an avenue somehow into the process of developing this report in terms of the impact on them. The Migrants Rights Council has been very involved over the years as well in terms of its role and the State's role in making sure that migrant women who are in fear in respect of immigration are in a position to come forward.

The brothel keeping laws really prohibit that, and as part of the report's development, we really need to look at what we mean by "a brothel". Maybe we need to define what a brothel is because more than one woman, or two women living in a house together as sex workers, is not necessarily a brothel in the terms we all believe a brothel to be.We have an industry-led idea of what a brothel is. I believe this should form an important part of the discussions in the Department. I have had a positive experience with the new policy team in recent weeks in respect of other justice Bills and so I look forward to their involvement on this report. In the coming weeks, once the Minister has more of an idea of what it looks like, it would be great if he could share it with my office. This would allow me to disseminate some of the information to some of the smaller groups working in this area.