Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Anti-Austerity Alliance)
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112. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if she will introduce legislation to provide for the definition of sexual consent; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34831/16]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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During the recent Dáil Second Stage debate on the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Bill 2015, a number of Deputies raised the issue of introducing a definition of consent to a sexual act. It had been my intention to bring forward legislative proposals to provide for a definition of sexual consent and to introduce such provision by way of an amendment to the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Bill 2015. On 11 November, the Supreme Court delivered a judgment which addresses the issue of sexual consent. That judgment is currently being considered by my Department with a view to taking account of the decision of the Court in the final amendments.