Joan Collins (Dublin South Central, Independents 4 Change)
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475. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth further to Parliamentary Question No. 179 of 12 May 2021, the outstanding issues that need to be resolved before the State can proceed to ratify the Second Optional Protocol on the UNCRC which includes the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29281/21]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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My Department made a comprehensive submission to the Attorney General’s Office in 2019 seeking confirmation as to whether Ireland was in a position to ratify the Second Optional Protocol to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

The advice received from the AGO stated that while Ireland is largely compliant with the terms of the Protocol, there are some outstanding issues that need to be resolved before the State can proceed to ratification.

My Department has been liaising closely with the Department of Justice as the outstanding issues identified by the AGO fall within their remit.

The Department of Justice is examining what legislative amendments may be required to ensure that the full range of offences covered by the Protocol can be prosecuted on an organised and transnational basis. 

We hope to resolve these issues as soon as possible and I will subsequently seek Government approval for ratification at the earliest opportunity.