Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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593. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality when the Bill to outlaw grooming children into crime that was announced in January 2021 will be introduced in the Houses of the Oireachtas.; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49762/22]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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Diverting young people away from involvement in criminal activity is a key priority for the Government and the exploitation of young people and children is a particular concern.

As the Deputy will be aware, while the existing law allows an adult to be prosecuted for a crime which has been committed by a child who has been incited to do so by the adult, there is currently no mechanism in law to explicitly address the harm done to the child. This is a complex issue as, in many cases, the adult in question is known to the child and may in some cases even be a family member, causing potential issues with regard to witness testimony. It is also important to ensure that new legislation in this area is aimed at the adults who control criminality, without risking further criminalisation of children, some of whom may be involved in directing the criminal activities of other children.

The Programme for Government commits to developing a law which would take account of this and penalise adults for the exploitation and harm done to the child in such cases.

I can inform the Deputy that officials in my Department are already working to develop legislation in this regard. The General Scheme of the Criminal Justice (Exploitation of Children in the Commission of Offences) Bill was published in January 2021. The Bill underwent pre-legislative scrutiny in November 2021 and is currently being drafted by the Office of Parliamentary Counsel.

I hope to publish this bill before the end of this year and to see it pass through the Houses of the Oireachtas shortly thereafter.