Sharon Keogan (Independent)

I will speak on the amendment. I rise to speak in strong support for this amendment and to commend the Senators who have brought forward this Bill today and the amendment for its improvement. The work here of Senators Flynn, Higgins, Ruane and Black is not just legislative. It is moral, principled and necessary.

For too long our laws have used the term “child pornography”, a term that frankly sanitises the horror of what is being done to children. It is a term that implies consensual actors creating content of their own violation and for their own economic gain. In the case of “child pornography” nothing could be further from the truth. Let the law be very clear on this point: there is no such thing as consensual pornography involving a child. What we are talking about is abuse, plain and simple. This amendment calls it what it is: child sexual abuse material. I welcome the clarity this amendment and this Bill will bring. It is not only a change in language but a change in how we frame the crime. It centres the child, not the content. It centres the harm, not the medium. That is a shift we should all support.

I also acknowledge the foresight in how this amendment has been drafted. It ensures legal continuity so that no case, prosecution or victim is left behind because of a change in terminology. That is responsible and compassionate law-making. I particularly appreciate the inclusion of digitally generated and artificial material in the definition. We are living in a time when technology is moving faster than our laws. This amendment ensures our protections for children are not stuck in the past.Let us be very clear about another reason this is important. The sexual predators who deal in this abusive material are no fools. Sadly, the market for this type of content is all too profitable. Those who profit from the suffering and abuse of minors are always innovating new ways to stay one step ahead of the law. Therefore, it is our duty as lawmakers to stay one step ahead of them. I hope that this updated definition will help orient the focus of our law enforcement towards the online dimension of sexual abuse and that we will follow up our change of language with fresh action and fresh resolve to clamp down on it. This is very much needed. For example, earlier this month, The Journalbroke a story that thousands of images of Irish women were being shared on an online forum without their consent or knowledge. Among these images were many of young girls, minors, in their school uniforms, with users on this site sharing their names, ages and location. The worrying part of this story is that it was discovered and brought to light by a news website rather than the Garda. The fact is that the Garda was slow to respond publicly. The forum was only removed after media exposure.

The lack of enforcement action raises serious concerns about the State's capacity to respond to online abuse. I hope this update and expansion of our legal definitions will help to correct that. I have always said that the protection of children and minors must be above politics. Today, I see that principle in action. Senators from different backgrounds and perspectives have come together to do what is right. This is where the Seanad works best. I thank the Senators who introduced this Bill for their commitment to protecting children. I am proud to support this amendment. I urge my colleagues on the Government side to support it as well.