Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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645. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs her plans to ratify the optional protocol to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53549/17]

Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent)
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My Department is working with the Department of Justice and Equality to ensure that all necessary arrangements are in place to fully comply with the provisions of the Second Optional Protocol on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography so that Ireland can ratify the Optional Protocol as soon as possible.

The recent enactment of the Sexual Offence Act (2017) constituted a key step on the pathway to ratification as the Act contains a wide range of provisions that will enhance the protection of children and vulnerable persons from sexual abuse and exploitation.

Considerable provisions exist in Irish law to combat the sexual abuse or exploitation of children, including ensuring the necessary flow of information to the relevant authorities about child abuse. The substantive criminal law elements of the Optional Protocol have largely been implemented by the Child Trafficking and Pornography Act 1998 and the Criminal Law (Human Trafficking) Act 2008.

The Criminal Justice (Withholding of Information on Offences Against Children and Vulnerable Persons) Act 2012, makes it an offence to withhold information relating to the commission of certain arrestable offences (including certain sexual offences) against children. Other relevant legislation in the area of reporting is the Protections for Persons Reporting Child Abuse Act 1998 and the Children First Act 2015.